USA - First established in 1891, First Baptist Concord (FBC) is a Knoxville-area church that has witnessed considerable change over its 130 years. When FBC took on the renovation of its 25-year-old main Worship Centre last year, it chose to install L-ISA immersive technology using an L-Acoustics A Series-based loudspeaker system to further deepen and enrich the worship experience for its congregation. Following several successful one-off projects with Solotech, the church approached the company’s Nashville team again to help it design and integrate new audio, video, and lighting systems for the space. Solotech integrated systems designer Luke Lasater reports: “We worked closely with L-Acoustics to design two PA options for the church - a standard left/right system and an L-ISA option. After reviewing the designs with the church, all agreed L-ISA was the way to go for man
USA - Baseball bat company Warstic Sports recently opened its new headquarters and retail space in Dallas, which features a comprehensive networked audio system from Harman Professional Solutions. Founded by former baseball player and entrepreneur Ben Jenkins in 2011, Warstic specialises in metal bats and customisable wood bats, along with batting gloves, fielding gloves and other baseball and softball accessories. In 2016, four-time All-Star second baseman Ian Kinsler and musician Jack White became co-owners alongside Jenkins, and in November 2021 the company officially opened its flagship store and headquarters in Dallas. In addition to a retail space and batting cage area, the facility also features a cafe, a conference space known as the War Room, and a live performance space in the basement. To meet Warstic’s current needs and anticipate future plans for
Singapore - The Singapore community had every reason to celebrate in a big way at this year’s Chingay Parade. The annual event honouring the Chinese New Year was not only celebrating its 50th anniversary, it was also returning to a live extravaganza format after the pandemic minimised the festivities for the past two years. CSP Productions, a Clear-Com global rental group partner in Singapore, provided intercom support for the 2022 Chingay show, deploying a Clear-Com Eclipse HX Digital Matrix solution with FreeSpeak II Digital Wireless systems. The equipment’s flexibility and performance were a match for the challenging production requirements, scope and timeline of this year’s festival. The Chingay Parade started in 1973 as a street parade and has evolved into an event showcasing Singapore’s multi-ethnic and cosmopolitan cultures. This year, more than 500 perf
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
South Korea - To provide intelligible sound throughout Busan’s Eun-pa Church, TechDataPS Co outfitted the worship space with advanced JBL Professional loudspeakers and Crown amplifiers. Established in 1971, Eun-pa Church has been providing worship services for more than 50 years. The church’s current facility was built in 2004 and required renovation after almost 20 years of use, including structural reinforcements to increase safety as well as a new sound reinforcement system for improved sound quality and flexibility. TechDataPS reports that their client wanted the highest quality-audio system within their budget and was not satisfied after receiving quotes from multiple brands. They added that after visiting TechDataPS' showroom, the church’s pastor personally selected the JBL VTX A8 loudspeakers because he was satisfied with their performance. For prima
USA - Monitor engineer Pasi Hara came from Helsinki’s Finnish metal community of the 1990s and 2000s, working with Helsinki goth-rockers H.I.M., starting as their FOH and “everything” engineer, later becoming the band’s monitor mixer. And that’s the role he’s settled into since, for artists like Slash/Guns N’ Roses, The Cult and Tower of Power. He is best known for manning System of a Down’s monitors over the past decade. What being around the serious sonic horsepower that heavy-metal music engenders has taught Hara is that anything he can do to make the monitoring environment for his musicians safer, more comfortable, and more accurate - but without sacrificing impact - he’ll gladly do. And the KLANG immersive in-ear monitor mixing system has become his primary tool of choice to accomplish just that. “I first heard about the KLANG platform when it
USA - Following a successful installation at La Grande Boucherie in Midtown Manhattan last year, Bond Applied Technology has again installed Martin Audio’s CDD speaker series in another top New York restaurant. This time, the action moved to the TriBeCa district of Lower Manhattan, and a new boutique Mexican restaurant called Casa Carmen, which has been equipped with 10 ultra-compact CDD6 enclosures and four concealed SX110 subwoofers. Collaborating once again with interior designer Julien Legeard (of Legeard Studio) -as at La Grande Boucherie - Bond director, Christopher Mayes-Wright, once again adopted the coaxial differential dispersion technology of Martin Audio’s tried and trusted CDD. “My experience with CDD speakers has been nothing but amazing every time,” says Mayes-Wright. “I’ve been able to compare them in situ with other similar speakers
USA - Fulcrum Acoustic and Belgian amplifier manufacturer Apex have announced an exclusive distribution partnership that will see Apex CloudPower installation amplifiers introduced to the US. CloudPower is a family of four-channel Class-D amplifiers with integral DSP. Available in four models ranging from 350W to 3000W per channel, CloudPower amplifiers can be monitored and controlled remotely from any device without the need for a site visit. Stephen Siegel, Fulcrum Acoustic president, welcomed the new relationship. “I've known [Apex MD] Paul van Hees for many years,” he says. “When Paul sent us a CloudPower amplifier for evaluation, we immediately saw the potential for these amplifiers in the USA. The combination of pristine audio performance with the ability to control amplifiers remotely makes CloudPower a compelling solution for many applications.”
Costa Rica - PAS Church recently embarked on the task of selecting and installing a new FOH console to manage an increasingly demanding weekly schedule. With multiple services each week, a range of group meetings, broadcast services and a thriving music department, the Church needed a new console that could manage the technical demands of this varied programme. Enlisting the services of local audio specialist, Mas Música Internacional S.A, the church settled on DiGiCo’s compact, SD12 digital mixing console. “We were looking to replace our incumbent console, and we needed a robust replacement, capable of withstanding daily use thanks to the Church’s hectic weekly programme of live, virtual and musical events,” explains PAS Community Church’s sound manager, Luca Frugone, who has been in charge of the Church’s audio requirements since 2016. “The brief was t
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
USA - Established in 2017, the Getty Music Sing! Worship Conference was designed not only to be a live event, but an experience that stays with you 365 days a year. Founder Keith Getty took inspiration from Martin Luther’s teachings and congregationally led musical style, and initially created the musical worship conference to celebrate 500 years of Luther’s work. With in-person attendance and online livestream viewing opportunities, conference registration granted participants unlimited access to talks, worship services and concerts. As miking a diverse arena event proved to be an unusual challenge, an appropriate solution was needed, leading Getty Music engineer Dan Myers to reach out to music retailer Sweetwater. To complement the large event space, range of speakers, and variety in musical genres performing, an array of microphones from DPA Microphones was selected f
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
UK - Pale Waves was formed in 2014 by lead singer and guitarist Heather Baron-Gracie and drummer Ciara Doran while they were at university in Manchester. The band was later joined by guitarist Hugo Silvani and bassist Charlie Wood, completing the lineup. Eight years later, the English indie rock band released their second album, Who Am I? in February this year, that peaked at number three on the UK Albums Chart. Currently touring across five countries and with more US concerts coming up, Patchwork London is providing tour and production management services to the band, which includes two DiGiCo Quantum 225 consoles for FOH. “Due to a massive increase in touring projects we support, we needed to invest in new, high quality consoles,” says Calum Mordue, touring director at Patchwork London. “The Q225s ticked all the right boxes. They’re next generation co
UK - Stage Precision (SP), and technical business development specialist, Neutral Human, have announced a strategic partnership alongside the launch of Stage Precision to the wider market. SP is an independent data and control platform that enables users to build complex control-systems and previsualise or pre-programme technological workflows for the global live events market. “The industry’s creative technologists have adopted SP as part of their trusted workflows. It has enabled the high-end projects to develop with pioneering complexity, so now it’s time for the wider industry to discover such this ground-breaking tool,” says Neutral Human’s founder, Sarah Cox. “What drew me to working with SP is the fact that the product is community-led. Its development comes from working alongside its userbase on real world challenges and finding solutions to
UK - Since its formation in 1982, the Baldwin Boxall brand has become a steadfast symbol of reliability and quality. Celebrating 40 years the company has announced the introduction of a seven-year warranty on all its own manufactured products purchased on or after 17 May 2022. The news was revealed to all at Firex in May. The announcement is seen as proof of Baldwin Boxall’s confidence in their products and sends a strong message to anyone considering their options when choosing life safety communication systems. Commenting on the introduction, Nick Baldwin, sales & marketing director at Baldwin Boxall, stated, “We are delighted to be making this announcement which, I feel sure, will provide further reassurance to customers and users of our systems. We are often made aware of systems installed 15 years or more ago, which are still fully functioning and in dail
UK - The People’s Property Portfolio (PPP) is a community benefit society with a mission centred on urban regeneration. Determined to create real community spaces in a way that is social and authentic, the society aims to secure buildings through community ownership to help develop social enterprise and support cultural activity. The society recently launched its work in Bradford, marking the occasion with an event at Assembly Bradford, a creative workspace for freelancers, remote workers, small businesses and creative organisations. To complement the presentation of its vision inside the building, PPP engaged arts company The Brick Box and artist Fabric Lenny to create an eye-catching and dynamic live artwork on the Assembly’s exterior frontage. The Brick Box producer Harry Jelley consulted with Bradford-based Pro Audio Systems (PAS) over the best way to achieve the art
Spain - Holoplot took the prize for medium sized stand in the ISE 2022 Stand Design Awards, organised by Exhibitor magazine. Every stand on the ISE show floor at FiraI Barcelona, Gran Via was automatically entered in the free competition and judged on site by an international panel of designers and exhibition-industry experts. Finalists selected in each of the four size-based categories were notified on the show floor, and the winners were announced at an awards ceremony. Other winners included Luhkee, Vestel and Sony
Brazil - The 2021 Copa América tournament was the 47th edition of the international men's football championship organised by South America's football ruling body, CONMEBOL. Clear-Com’s Brazilian partner, Savana Comunicações, in conjunction with Mediapro Group Paraguay, were charged with providing the video assist referee (VAR) equipment and expertise for the Copa América games taking place in five different stadiums in Brazil. Clear-Com products can be configured in multiple ways to meet the communication requirements of VAR, and each of the five stadiums used a different combination of Eclipse HX Digital Matrix System, HelixNet Digital Network Partyline, FreeSpeak II Digital Wireless Intercom, Clear-Com Encore Analog Partyline, LQ Series of IP Interfaces and V-Series Iris Panels to make VAR implementation possible during the tournament. A video assist referee is
France - Christie is the official projection technology partner for the 75th Cannes Film Festival. The event, which runs 17-28 May, will see projectors from across Christie’s broad portfolio powering screens throughout all venues. The festival is set to welcome approximately 35,000 guests, a significant increase over last year’s 24,000. Christie will provide installation and show support for the occasion, as it celebrates its 16th year as technical partner. “It is a tremendous honour to continue our association with Festival de Cannes, with its renowned prestige and rich history making it a truly unique celebration, year after year,” says Adil Zerouali, senior sales director, Cinema EMEA, Christie. “We will aim to showcase this year’s outstanding line-up of films in the most visually impactful way possible with our leading projection technology. It’s great to s
UK - Polar has announced the expansion of its team with the appointment of two new members of staff. Mark Bracken has joined Polar’s integrated solutions team as a business development manager, whilst Joe Glading has been recruited as a marketing assistant. Bracken is an experienced AV industry professional who has enjoyed sales, marketing and business development roles with Cloud Electronics, Imagesound, Rolec Music and Hayden Laboratories, before broadening his scope as a freelance consultant in the video sector. “As the world began to emerge from the worst effects of the pandemic, I was looking for a new challenge within which I could bring together the skills and experience I’ve gained across different areas of the AV industry,” says Bracken. “When the opportunity with the Polar integrated solutions team arose, it aligned perfectly with that ambition, an
