USA - When the time came for Colorado’s St Andrew United Methodist Church to evaluate the effectiveness of its installed sound system, it encountered a problem that will be familiar to houses of worship all over the world. While the style of worship practised at the church had changed over the years to fully embrace musical celebration including live performances and playback, the aging sound system was no longer fit for purpose, having been originally designed for more traditional spoken word sermons. Determined to transform not just the sound quality but the overall experience of the congregation, the church’s leadership began the search for a solution. The new system needed to deliver audio quality and flexibility without requiring any major construction changes to the church itself - a challenge that was given to regional systems integrator Equalized Production
Namibia - Located amid the African bush not far from Namibia’s capital Windhoek lies The Midgard Country Estate, one of O&L Leisure’s retreats. The estate, self-described as “a paradise where the earth rises again, fertile and green” appeals to a variety of potential customers, possessing 46 newly decorated bedrooms, a bar, two swimming pools and a host of other leisure facilities. Midgard’s audio-visual technology required an update, ensuring that guests are entertained, and conferences run seamlessly. Stage Audio Works’ Namibian office was responsible for AV design and integration, most recently providing a comprehensive turnkey Audac-based distributed audio system for the restaurant and bar area. SAW Namibia has been involved with the Midgard Estate since 2020 when they were first called in to update the AV systems in Midgard’s conference venues.
The Netherlands - Construction is underway and progress being made to build a new children’s transitional care unit in Amsterdam, showcasing how the AV community has come together to support the project with donations of product, time and services. In a joint venture between ISE, its co-owners CEDIA and AVIXA, and generous contributors from the industry, The Jeroen Pit House will be furnished with a state-of-the-art entertainment space for chronically ill children and their families to enjoy. The Jeroen Pit House, which is being built within the grounds of the Emma Children’s Hospital, will make the difficult transition from hospital to home easier, safer and steadier for chronically ill children and their families. Over 30 AV brands have committed to providing services and product for free to develop the media space, which will include a sensory room and home cin
UK - With 4,500 miles clocked up on the rental van and 350 engineers, end users, customers and rental companies seen in 29 days across 27 locations, the 2021 DiGiCo and KLANG roadshow has completed its run. The DiGiCo team toured the UK with a DiGiCo Quantum 338, Quantum 225, SD12 and a KLANG Immersive Personal Monitor package, as well as showcasing the KLANG:vokal immersive processor and the new KLANG:kontroller. Stopping at various rental companies, venues and customers along the way, the team provided two three-hour sessions a day offering a closer look at the new consoles and refreshers on the SD-Range with the company’s experts. “When our world slowly started to come back, we began to get an increasing number of requests from engineers to pop into our HQ in Surrey for some refresher training, so we thought ‘why don’t we come to them instead?’, which is
France - Audio developer and manufacturer Amadeus has installed an immersive sound system for Le Préau, the National Drama Centre in Normandy-Vire. The newly-designed solution utilises a three-speaker ‘antenna’ system, controlled by the company’s Holophonix spatial sound processor, and offers much higher accuracy of sound localization for the audience in the theatre environment. Le Préau has a mission of artistic creation, dissemination of these creations in regional and national territories, and artist-in-residence programsme. The Centre has been directed by Lucie Berelowitsch since 1 January 2019. In France, National Drama Centers (NDCs) are emblematic institutions of the dramatic decentralization policy pursued by the State for 70 years - the first five centres were created between 1946 and 1952. “Le Préau is a place of creation and sharing, with a
UK - Optimal Audio has announced the appointment of Raf Willems as head of sales and channel marketing EMEA. Willems' 20-year career in the industry began in residential audio sales in his native Belgium, before a move into the commercial audio sector with Apart Audio where he progressed through a variety of roles to become sales and marketing director. Following Biamp’s acquisition of Apart, Willems became head of business development for Europe with additional responsibility for managing Biamp’s retail and hospitality team. “It’s so rare in our industry to get the chance to be involved in developing a new brand from its inception,” says Willems. “I’m passionate about commercial audio so I honestly consider this to be something of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Everything I’ve seen and understood about the launch of Optimal Audio indicates that th
Italy - RCF has introduced two powered portable speakers. The TT 515-A speaker and TT 808-AS subwoofer are intended for high-powered portable and installed professional applications where size and weight are critical factors. This approach combines the advantages of RCF TT+ technology such as controlled dispersion, clarity, high-power, multiple rigging accessories, weather protection, and RDNET software connection for real-time management with recallable pre-sets. TT 515-A is a 127 dB speaker that fits in the palm of your hand and can be used as a main speaker system, or to supplement a larger system, a 3D/immersive sound system, or high-quality installations. The transducer configuration of the TT 515-A pairs two symmetrical custom-loaded 5" cone drivers to a rotatable CMD waveguide surrounding a titanium 1.75" high-frequency compression driver, all powered by a two-channe
USA - The final touches are being put on the new studio facilities at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Featuring a 24-channel Audient ASP8024-HE with Dual Layer Control (DLC) in its classroom-sized control room, Recording Studio 381 is a fully stocked, 96-track (64 analog, 32 Dante), surround-capable recording facility. When choosing the console for the Music Technology programme, assistant professor of music technology, Seth Shafer was determined that his students should have a fully-featured tracking and mixing experience. “They should have the opportunity to experience an analogue inline console with sufficient bus outs, plenty of auxiliary sends and a lot of insert options,” he explains. “On the other hand, the DLC control surface allows them to work in the box with convenient hands-on control.” During his extensive research, Seth discovered that Audie
UK - The high-profile owners of new £20m penthouse suites at London’s Battersea Power Station have been playing second fiddle to a breeding pair of peregrine falcons. As part of the Grade II-listed building’s £9bn regeneration project it was stipulated that a new tower had to be erected to replace the original chimneys, the natural habitat of these birds of prey who have been nesting there for 13 years. Martin Audio long-term partners Rossco was introduced to the project by Simon Woodward of Polar Bear Live at the inception. As an acoustics consultant and event technical provider, MD Ross Sharples has provided audio support since the original confirmation of the Malaysian Consortium bid back in 2013. “We are fully qualified when considering the impact of sound on the environment,” he said. And this includes the falcons’ wellbeing, where a 1-min calibr
UK - After many months of forced closure due to COVID restrictions, the Chichester Festival Theatre (CFT) has burst back onto the scene with Daniel Evans’s revival of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic, South Pacific. CFT is one of the UK’s leading producing theatres, regularly selling out the 1300-seat auditorium and transferring plays and musicals into London’s West End. The Grade II listed venue recently underwent an extensive renovation project followed by by a comprehensive audio upgrade to an EM Acoustics sound system in 2019. This has since been upgraded again to feature EM Acoustics’ flagship award-winning R10 loudspeaker and the medium format HALO-B line array system. “It was all a bit piecemeal following the renovation, but having replaced our existing outer delay line with EM Acoustics EMS-61s and added EMS-51 front-fills, we wanted to upd
Czech Republic - AudioMaster CZ recently upgraded the historic Reduta Theatre in Brno with a Soundcraft Vi2000 digital mixing console to complement the existing Vi3000 mixing system. Originally constructed during the Renaissance, the Reduta Theatre is the oldest theatre building in Central Europe and has continuously hosted concerts and productions since 1620. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Béla Bartók and Thomas Adès are just a few names in the rich history of concerts that have been performed in the Reduta Theatre. In addition to dramatic performances and concerts ranging from jazz and classical to modern pop and rock, the Reduta Theatre hosts a wide range of events, such as TEDx conferences, Opera Europa conventions and corporate events. In 2016, the Reduta Theatre found itself in need of a new front-of-house console literally overnight when their previous analo
UK - As the theatre industry gets back to more regular working patterns, sound designer Ben Harrison has a Yamaha Rivage PM5 digital mixing system working 9 to 5 on a new touring production of the Dolly Parton musical. Playing in venues from Inverness to Southampton and Plymouth, the UK tour of 9 to 5 The Musical runs through until March 2022. It features a new Ben Harrison sound design. With an array of past credits - including Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Starlight Express, Evita, Fame, Hairspray, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Blood Brothers and many more - Ben’s choice of the Yamaha Rivage PM5 digital mixing system for this tour neatly brought his past and present together. He notes that everything he learned about digital mixing came from earlier experiences with Yamaha consoles, both the PM1D and PM5D-RH
UK - The PLASA Show returned to Olympia London from 5-7 September, receiving high acclaim and marking a return to normality following the 18-month closure of the live events sector. As the first entertainment technology tradeshow in two years, the PLASA Show 2021 co-located with the ABTT Theatre Show and succeeded in reuniting the industry for three high-spirited and productive days in Olympia’s Grand Hall. Even though the number of attendees was reduced this year, they remained top quality and similar to previous years: 2/10 were company owners or directors and half were specifiers or final decision-makers. Theatre and touring were most prominent with one third of those attending working in production or venues. Anticipation was high as the doors opened, with a steady stream of visitors keen to check out the next generation of products and catch up with colle
Italy - Riccione is known as the Green Pearl of the Adriatic on account of its tree-lined streets, parks and gardens. The town’s reputation for hospitality dates back to the thirties and it has been a trendsetter since, with clubs in the surrounding hills, beach and spa facilities and its famous main drag, Viale Ceccarini. The noted street recently hosted the opening of The Balena (The Whale) Lounge Bar by the Villa Delle Rose and Peter Pan group, a venue offering ‘a combination of taste, style and design’, in a strategic point once occupied by the Trussardi Boutique. An Outline loudspeaker system has been installed at the Balena. Marco Tiraferri explains on behalf of the group that manages the Villa delle Rose and Peter Pan clubs, “It’s not a disco in the town centre: we cater for a clientele aged from 25-30 upwards who want to pass an evening in a sty
UK - The CPL crew led by Lee Gruszeckyj were back working on a festival site again, providing video design and production for Camper Calling 2021 which took place over four days at Ragley Hall, Warwickshire during the UK’s August Bank Holiday weekend. The festival, organised by Jazz Events, was back with a lively musical megamix and additional fun and adventure. CPL working via Urban Audio Productions supplied a video equipment package comprising screens, cameras, and control. The last event was in 2019, and each year the production values and scale of Camper Calling are increased alongside the great attention to detail that ensures it retains its friendly boutique style. The big change up on the video front from 2019 was rigging the side stage IMAG screens in portrait format, a move suggested early in the design process by CPL to frame artist close-ups and
UK - For the first time in two years, The Association of Motion Picture Sound (AMPS) was able to honour its annual awards winners at a physical ceremony which was held on 12 September at The University of Greenwich. The Queen’s Gambit scooped the Excellence in Sound for a Television Drama accolade and Ronnie’s: Ronnie Scott and his World- Famous Jazz Club received Excellence in Sound for a Factual Film. Excellence in a Production Audio Product went to Sound Devices CL 16 Control Surface and Excellence in a Post-Production Audio Product was awarded to Kraken: Dialogue Editor's Toolkit 1.2. Two new AMPS fellowships were awarded to supervising sound editor Catherine Hodgson and to Rob Walker, the former chair of AMPS (2018-2021). Fellowships are bestowed in recognition of outstanding achievement in motion picture sound and individual endeavours to work f
UK - Bradford-based Pro Audio Systems has announced the recruitment of Chris Beardwell to the post of video and lighting sales. His role will be to develop existing and new relationships with manufacturers, to enable Pro Audio Systems to supply video and lighting products alongside its extensive audio inventory. Chris will also look to drive sales and deliver turnkey audio/visual solutions for a variety of different customer applications. Having graduated in Media Production from Lincoln University, Chris joined Luminar Leisure (now Rekom UK) as a lighting technician at Liquid, Envy and Trinity nightclubs. Chris gained valuable experience utilising moving light technology and control systems from Robe and Martin Professional, before moving to become head lighting technician/operator at Wolverhampton super-club Faces. In 2014, Chris joined AC Entertainment Technol
UK - Recently launched manufacturer Optimal Audio has announced the appointment of Al McKinna as head of product. A sound technology graduate of LIPA, Al joins after 15 years at Avid, where he spent three years in sales and 12 in product management. As director of product management for live sound, Al led the business strategy and product development of Avid’s Venue brand of digital live audio production systems. Most recently as director of audio hardware at Avid, he led product management for Pro Tools systems, control surfaces and live sound. Al will be responsible for creating a future product development strategy for Optimal Audio. “The first phase of launching the Optimal Audio ecosystem into the market is well under way,” says Al. “It’s a fantastic system, based on principles that address a clear demand in the market. My job will be to build a bu
UK - SSE Audio, part of the Solotech UK Group, has announced the appointment of James Baker to the role of live sound specialist to benefit the UK sales team. In this new position, Baker will support SSE Audio and Manchester-based Wigwam’s live sound sales customers. Working alongside their team of technical experts and service providers, he will develop marketing strategies that promote the groups’ unique services for the live sound market. He joins during the return of the UK live events industry post-pandemic, which is seeing an extremely busy summer festival season. Baker has become well-known and respected in the pro audio industry during his 25-year career as a freelance sound engineer while working with Nile Rogers and Chic, Chase and Status, Girls Aloud, Kim Wilde and Gilbert O'Sullivan. This is in addition to his role as a live sound sales manager
UK - Using the opportunity of the first trade show for many months, Nexo unveied its ePS Series of loudspeakers for professional installation. Three two-way passive cabinets and two partner subbass units are the first models in a new range, which Nexo says delivers its “high-quality European engineering at a cost-effective price that will galvanise budget-sensitive projects”. Drawing on 25 years of success with the PS Series, the company has slimmed down connection and mounting options whilst taking advantage of new manufacturing techniques and driver design to hit “unprecedented price points” for its industry-standard point source products. ePS models will provide a way for many public and private installation projects to access a Nexo-badged system without breaking the bank, says the company. Designed specifically for fixed installation, the ePS Series packag
UK - The winners of the 2021 PLASA Awards for Innovation were announced on Monday at the PLASA Show as it made its return to Olympia London. Twenty-nine products were entered this year, with six awards being presented in addition to two special commendations. This year’s judging team was comprised of nine independent technical specialists from a wide array of backgrounds. They said of the R10: "The judges commend the controllable, adjustable low-mid dispersion of this product, adding that the inclusion of the different mid-high frequency waveguides increases the flexibility for a touring show and is a feature that has not been seen before in a speaker of this type." EM’s Mike Wheeler comments: "We are delighted that our new flagship Reference Series R10 system has been recognised at PLASA 2021. It has been great to showcase the product in front of the industry after so l
Taiwan - The dramatic combination of lighting, audiovisual, choreography and staging in fashion shows requires highly creative and specific design. For the debut of his Salon des Visionaires - Luxxury Godbage, a 1990s fashion themed fall-winter collection and Sherry Bomb Opening Party held at Ximen Literature and Arts Centre on 8 May 2021, Justin Chou, designer and founder of Taiwan fashion label JUST IN XX selected Calibre LEDFusion A130-15 all-in-one Direct View screen management solutions. The 1990s was an era of freedom, boldness and adventure with bright colours and style – people dared to experiment. JUST IN XX’s philosophy when it came to technology echoed this, and he collaborated with Calibre UK for LEDFusion A130-15 LED displays to be positioned on each side of the main stage for the show. Justin Chou held two different shows at Taipei Fas
The Netherlands - The newest addition to the Dutch based Jules Boules Bites Bar chain of drinking, dining and jeu de boules experience venues has opened in the city of Rotterdam. Its exclusively Amate Audio sound installation prominently features the company’s latest G7 loudspeaker. This, the fifth branch of the themed restaurant chain, encompasses a 12-lane indoor jeu de boules ‘parcours’, together with extensive bar and restaurant facilities. Audio for the entire bar and restaurant area is provided by an installation of 12 ultra-compact G7 loudspeaker cabinets and a pair of N12WP subs - the titanium colour scheme of the G7 cabinets matching the exposed metal work in the ceiling. A separate installation for the jeu de boules parcours comprises 12 Amate Audio Nítid series S6P 2-way, high power handling birch ply cabinets, together with a pair of N18WP subs.
France - Paris-based producer and head of the Mille Feuilles label, Romain Delahaye - a.k.a. Molécule - has been called ‘the pioneer of nomadic electronic music’ and the artist takes his musical inspiration from far-flung locations, recording ambient sounds on his expeditions around the globe and turning them into lively, atmospheric musical creations. Molécule records sound in extreme locations: aboard a fishing boat in the Atlantic, in a village in Greenland or on the mythic surf swells of Nazaré in Portugal. More recently, he captured the sound of Thomas Ruyant's monohull during the Vendée Globe yacht race. Molécule transforms his recordings into spatialised music with the help of sound designer Hervé Déjardin, engineer in charge of developing immersive audio at Radio France. Now, Molécule and Déjardin have brought a 360-degree spatialised sound experie
