South Africa - System integration specialists Livingstone Productions have provided a sophisticated end-to-end Audac background music (BGM) system for IntegriSure, one of South Africa’s largest motor and home insurance brokers and its subsidiary company VIA Soft, which specialises in extended IT and administrative systems for financial services. Based in Roodepoort, Johannesburg, the IntegriSure Group required a reliable and stripped back audio system that would seamlessly blend with their modern corporate environment. As the exclusive distributor of Audac in South Africa, Stage Audio Works (SAW) oversaw the design of the project, the supply of the equipment, and the commissioning of the system before handing back over to Livingstone Productions, who carried out the integration, delivering a solution that places the end-user experience at the heart of the operation, and wi
UK - Jalsa Salana is the annual three-day international gathering of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community which takes place on a 200-acre farm in Alton, Hants. Over the three days, up to 35,000 people from across the world have traditionally congregated at the location, where the Khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association (AMC), Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, delivers a daily address. Back in 2016, Simon Honywill helped Jalsa Salana celebrate its 50th anniversary by completely redesigning the audio infrastructure around a uniquely Martin Audio set-up. By turning to the MLA platform for the first time he could achieve supreme control and vocal projection in a challenging environment. Since the address itself is in the form of a very quiet and humble series of speeches, sermons and teachings powerful projection is required. There is no music, it is all about speech intelligibili
Australia - The sleepy rural town of Kilkivan in Queensland was recently transformed into a hive of activity as thousands of horse lovers - and their horses - descended for the first edition of Cowgirls Gathering; three days of interactive workshops and clinics with educators, trade stalls, competitions, music, art and entertainment to celebrate the western lifestyle of women all over Australia and beyond. Production specialists Gigawatt Sound & Light based just north of Brisbane were contracted to supply clear, precise audio throughout the festival, which they chose to do with KV2. The requirement was broad ranging, from background music, to paging, to foreground audio distribution and speech reinforcement. All systems were in use from 7am to midnight every day. Gigawatt’s technical systems manager, Andrew Wood takes up the story: “This was an unusual assignme
UK - Describing itself as ‘the UK's foremost narrative ballet company’, Northern Ballet performs a repertoire that ranges from traditional to contemporary. A key part of its work is taking shows on tour, performing for audiences away from its Leeds base. With touring now resuming, the ballet has looked to the future by investing in two Yamaha Rivage PM3 digital mixing systems. These were first put to use on the world premiere of the ballet Merlin, which started its tour at Nottingham Theatre Royal. Founded in 1969, Northern Ballet has used Yamaha digital mixers for a number of years, starting with the M7CL. “As a touring company, reliability is of primary importance and we’ve always been really happy with Yamaha in that regard,” says Steve Wilkins, the ballet’s technical director. “We’ve only ever lost one fader and socket through touring damage, where
Spain - AFIAL 2021 closed one of its busiest editions in Madrid on 7 October, the event’s organisers have reported. Three intense days before, the trade show highlighted, once again, the capacity of unity, strength and resilience of the AV industry. AFIAL 2021 was attended by PLASA in the framework of the collaboration that it recently has signed with AFIAL after more than one year of joint effort in the #WeMakeEvents movement - a relationship that will be expanded in the near future with new projects and initiatives. One of the success stories of this edition was the AFIAL Conecta space, where visitors had the opportunity to attend a powerful panel of conferences, in addition to a comprehensive programme of activities complemented by demonstrations of outdoor sound carried out in the Pavilion of Crystal esplanade, which welcomed visitors interested in knowing first-
Canada - Founded in 1930, Glad Tidings Church has served Vancouver for over nine decades in three different locations. Established in its current location since 1963, the church built a new 1900-capacity sanctuary in 1983 which remains its home today. Whilst the structure of the auditorium has changed little over the years, it has continued to evolve at a technical level. The most recent development has been the design and installation of a new HALO-C compact line array system from British manufacturer, EM Acoustics. Recognising the need to replace their aging point source system with something more modern and efficient, Glad Tidings approached Canadian production company and AV integrator, Gearforce, headed by Bryan Adams’ long-term monitor engineer, Rob Nevalainen. Whilst the touring scene is currently on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Nevalainen has turn
France - When it came time to record the Netflix original French-language film, Oxygène, the audio team had quite the challenge in front of them. The premise of the scientific horror film focuses on a scientist, played by French actress Melanie Laurent, who has lost her memory, awakens, trapped in a medical pod and must find her way out before the oxygen levels diminish. Given the setting, the pod is used for 90 percent of the film and, with its tight quarters, Production Sound Mixer Ken Yasumoto and Boom Operator Josselin Panchout knew they needed a reliable and unobtrusive microphone solution, which they found in DPA Microphones. Having small, portable, easy-to-use tools became even more important when the film’s director Alex Aja and director of photography Maxime Alexandre built a second pod for ease of filming some of the tighter shots. Although there w
USA - The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, employs a campus-wide communication system that consists of Riedel's Artist, Bolero and SmartPanels. The system supports flexible communications and audio transport for live broadcast production of Pitt Athletics events on the ACC Network for ESPN. The decentralised wired and wireless intercom systems enable clear, reliable communications while also providing exceptional flexibility of configuration across campus at all sporting complexes, and multiple studios. Utilizing multiple Artist digital intercom matrixes, 1200 and 2300 Series SmartPanel user interfaces, and 24 Bolero wireless beltpacks scattered across campus, the Pitt Athletics production team coordinates centralized live sports production for broadcast and streaming. Riedel's Director software coordinates configuration and management of al
UK - For the production industry the August Bank Holiday was always going to be the big heave of the re-opening, with Leeds/Reading festival leading the way. That no bad news emerged from the three-day bacchanal means the production industry could give itself a big pat on the back. Not that it was easy, but it was a blast. “We were all apprehensive,” says Richard Larkum, LD for Biffy Clyro, echoing the sentiments of many. “As it transpired, it was a career defining show.” Joel Stanley, production manager for Stormzy was equally relieved: “In terms of going from nothing to full-on production it did feel very natural.” Default sound, IMAG and lights for the main stages came from SSE, CT and Neg Earth respectively. As Stanley observed, “As with Neg Earth and Video Design in our individual production packages, we felt very comfortable and well favoure
UAE - With offices in Dubai, Sharjah and Doha, NMK Electronics has been appointed L-Acoustics certified provider distributor for the Middle East. “Our team of pro-audio specialists with decades of experience respond to local demand and also offer technical and design support across the board,” says Dino Drimakis, commercial director at NMK Electronics. “NMK works closely with partners from several market segments of the AV industry. We are thrilled to add a world-leading audio manufacturers to our portfolio. L-Acoustics fits perfectly with our product mix. We also appreciate their drive to consistently innovate and enhance the experience for audiences and end-users. We are proud to bring their innovative technologies to the region.” NMK’s mission is to increase the demand for high-end audio and to bring the latest technologies to market. To help accomplish
The Netherlands - Alcons has introduced the QRP20, a two-way column array system with high-Q directivity for increased projection control to be used as vertical sound system, for both permanent and portable applications. It is specifically designed for applications where ultimate fidelity response needs to be projected with wide horizontal and narrow vertical coverage, ideal in acoustically challenging environments, or applications where intelligibility-over-distance is required. Loaded with the RBN401 4” pro-ribbon driver on a ‘Morpher’ lens, the system offers a very high throw-efficiency and projection control, due to the pro-ribbon’s all-natural cylindrical wavefront. The QRP’s are powered and controlled by the ALC amplified loudspeaker controller; Through the integrated VHIR processing, audiophile amplifier stages and Signal Integrity Sensing feed
UK - Powersoft’s Dynamic Music Distribution (DMD) solution is at the heart of the audio system providing the soundtrack to Kent’s newest sports and entertainment destination. With Dynamic Music Distribution, Powersoft offers SIs the ability to scale inputs and zones conveniently and efficiently with dynamic routing capabilities embedded on its amplifier platforms. This makes it simple to dynamically route music and other signal sources along with control signals between different zones and across multiple amplifiers – all independently of source location and without the need for a centralised DSP. Two Mezzo 604 ADs – Powersoft's four-channel, 600W compact amplifier – are powering the entirety of the 250-capacity Matches Sports Bar, Grill & Social, forming the core of a hospitality venue incorporating multiple distinct audio zones and spaces. Tucked away
UK - DiGiCo has announced its participation in the Avnu Alliance. This move to AVB networking and the Milan family, along with a keen focus on how best to integrate Milan into its range of digital mixing consoles, is an ambition the company says is now underway. Milan has been developed through close cooperation between a number of manufacturers. It builds on a common networking technology to create a link between AV, IT and silicon industries. It is already being used in projects around the world and by manufacturers including Adamson, Biamp, d&b audiotechnik, L-Acoustics, Meyer Sound, Neutrik and RCF. “DiGiCo is always at the forefront of technology,” comments DiGiCo’s general manager, Austin Freshwater. “We have been looking at the AVB format for some time, and now that the Milan standard and team are making the pro audio integration elements of AVB muc
Thailand - To provide sound and flexibility for the Rose Hall event venue at the headquarters of RS Public Company, Mahajak Development Co deployed a Harman Professional audio solution. One of Thailand’s top media businesses, RS Public Company has had a significant influence on Thai entertainment culture since 1982. When hosting concerts, radio shows, television events and more, the company uses the 480sq.m Rose Hall located at its headquarters. To accommodate the needs of modern productions, the company requested a flexible, cutting-edge audio system that could easily adapt to a myriad of events. A spokesperson for Mahajak Development Co said that the installation team was confident that Harman’s audio solutions would deliver impactful sound for all types of events. The team selected a range of JBL Professional, Soundcraft and dbx solutions to provide impactful s
USA - PreSonus is now shipping its R65 V2 and R80 V2 active AMT studio monitors. The new monitor speakers feature more extensive control than the original R-series, incorporating the analogue Acoustic Tuning controls from PreSonus’ Eris line. Included are Low Cutoff, Mid Frequency, and High Frequency controls, as well as a three-position Acoustic Space switch that allows you to compensate for the acoustic results of speaker placement against a wall or in a corner. An upgraded 140W (75W LF + 65W HF) Class A/B power amplifier provides ample headroom and even warmer, smoother overall frequency response for distortion-free, non-fatiguing performance, even at higher volumes. As with the original R-series, the new R65 V2 and R80 V2 monitors feature a custom-designed, 6.8-square-inch Air Motion Transformer (AMT) tweeter that responds to the subtlest waveforms and high frequ
UK - In August, Nigerian Afro-fusion star Burna Boy’s Twice As Tall event was the first in the London O2 Arena’s Welcome Back Show series of live concerts. Sold out with fans hungry for live entertainment, Yamaha Rivage PM10 digital mixing systems helped deliver a much-anticipated, impressive live production. 2021 has been a highly successful year for Burna Boy, winning a Grammy Award for his 2020 Billboard-topping album Twice As Tall, Artiste of the Year at the Global Music Awards Africa and Best International Act at the Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards. He headed to the O2 Arena with a spectacular show, arriving in a flying saucer and spending much of the performance on a stage projection, surrounded by the audience on three sides. With music blending Afrobeats, dancehall riddims, reggae, American rap and R&B, the large production included a
UK - A new dance festival called Electric Woodlands took place recently in the idyllic grounds of Bygrave Farm in Baldock. Three bespoke stages, set in lush green landscapes, and a hidden forest provided the backdrop to a who's who of drum & bass, house and bass exponents over an 11-hour period. Capital Sound, part of the Solotech UK Group, equipped all three stages with PA, the two largest fitted out with premium Martin Audio systems. The service providers had been introduced to the event by Alex Anderson, a production manager with whom they had worked previously. Capital senior project manager, Martin Connolly reports, “We were then contacted and initially asked to quote on the main stage before extending this to the other two stages.” The crew worked alongside the event’s main production manager, Catherine Bates, observing sound thresholds set by F1
France - Extending spatial processing to a wider range of productions and venues, L-Acoustics has introduced the next generation of its 3D audio processing engine, L-ISA Processor II. The new processor offers users more power, performance and flexibility, and is available in four different output configurations through a one-time, tiered license fee. Similar to its predecessor, L-ISA Processor II is a hardware solution that provides advanced object-based mixing for the most demanding immersive audio productions. While both units offer control of spatial audio processing and virtual acoustics for up to 96 audio objects based on speaker positioning information and mixing parameters - including pan, width, distance, elevation, and aux send - the new L-ISA Processor II doubles the original unit’s potential output count of 64 up to 128 outputs for greater power and versatility
USA - Avnu Alliance has introduced a new Milan Advanced Certification Programme for ‘faster, more convenient, and less expensive testing and certification of professional audio video (AV) end devices for its members’. The programme introduces a significantly enhanced certification management system, new pre-certification validation test tools, and global access to test houses around the world. Milan is a standards-based, user-driven deterministic network protocol for professional media, that through certification, assures devices will work together at new levels of convenience, reliability, and functionality. To guarantee interoperability amongst Milan devices from various manufacturers, Avnu’s new Milan Advanced Certification Programme ‘delivers robust test plans and scripts that are performed at independent authorised certification labs around the world to ensure
Israel - Israel Railways’ (ISR) CEO frequently holds critical internal management meetings and external meetings with Israeli government departments and authorities. Therefore, to enable its CEO to conduct efficient and productive business meetings from his office, ISR turned to ClearOne for an AV solution that would fully meet the requirements of the CEO and his meeting room. “We needed to find a solution for the CEO’s office that delivered superior levels of audio and video quality which, at the same time, is intuitive and easy to use,” opens Aric Ben-Zuk, VP of sales for DM Engineering, the creative technology solutions provider leading this integration. “A key requirement for ISR was that participants, regardless of their location, would be able to concentrate on the content of their meetings without having to worry about the underlying technology.” Hav
Australia - To provide quality sound across a wide field of coverage for the Transmoto Endura dirt bike races, CMI Music & Audio and Be Productions deployed JBL Professional Eon One Compact speakers. Transmoto organises team-based endurance events in a relaxed and fun atmosphere for everyday dirt biking enthusiasts, staged on remote locations with challenging but safe off-road loops that combine grass tracks and bush trails. The Transmoto Enduros consists of eight- and 12-hour endurance races for amateur riders taking place on dedicated tracks in rural areas across Australia. With racers often spread out in outdoor campsites, Transmoto officials needed an audio system for announcements and communication with wide enough coverage to reach every racer and compete with the sounds of motorcycles and weather conditions. To meet these requirements, Be Productions consult
USA - The North American leg of An Evening with Michael Bublé tour resumed in August, with 23 shows in A-level arenas through late October. The tour continues to rely on a Meyer Sound reinforcement system as provided by global production company Solotech, and once again the massive system is deployed in a novel ‘dual hybrid’ configuration comprising both typical end-stage arrays as well as centre-hung arrays over the B-stage that essentially function as an in-the-round system. What’s new this time around is the introduction of the Spacemap Go spatial sound design and live mixing tool, which transparently tracks Bublé’s voice as he strolls between the two stages, maintaining precise aural localisation at all seats with synchronised, incremental changes in level and delay across multiple loudspeaker arrays. “We came up with the basic solution late in 2
USA - Brompton Technology has announced its expansion into the US with a new office in Burbank, California. The new facility reflects Brompton’s continued growth in the US market thanks to demand for high-end virtual production setups and television. Brompton’s regional technical manager Sean Sheridan will lead the new US outpost. Sheridan joined Brompton in 2018 and has played an instrumental role in the company’s success in the US, expanding the customer base in all areas and helping drive development of new Tessera software features specifically geared toward virtual production as demand increased. He will continue to drive new customer growth and technical development, with the office as a home base for demos and training. “I’m thrilled to expand our international presence as Brompton now has footprints on three continents - North America, Europe, and Asi
South Africa - Tiger’s Milk is a popular kitchen/bar that is part of the Life & Brand portfolio, a group that runs a variety of bars, bistros and restaurants across South Africa. For this project, a new establishment located in the Johannesburg suburb of Bedfordview required a zoned audio solution to handle BGM playback throughout the premises which blended with Tiger’s Milk’s characteristic black interior. Timelines were tight as the work needed to be finished in time for the easing of COVID-19 restrictions and re-opening of the hospitality industry in South Africa. The job was originally procured by Output AV, who specified and purchased the Audac equipment, before sub-contracting K2 Innovate for the actual integration. All the hardware was supplied by Stage Audio Works (SAW), Audac’s South African distributor. The Audac system covers a total of seven dis
