USA - Harman Professional Solutions has announced an addition to its secure 4K60 4:4:4 distance transport switching solution with the release of four new AMX by Harman DXLink 4K60 fibre input/output (I/O) boards, transmitters and receivers. The new fibre modules offer security and support for extended distances and are fully compatible with AMX Enova DGX 100 Series enclosures. This offers a simple upgrade of existing systems to the most secure, highest-quality technology without investing in an entirely new system architecture. These new modules accompany the twisted pair boards, endpoints and Enova DGX enclosures released previously. Government entities, universities, casinos and other security-focused installations will benefit greatly by using the new DGX 4K60 fibre products, says Harman. Previously, high-security operations had to settle for either reduced r
Spain - Amate Audio has expressed overall positive conclusions about exhibiting at ISE Live in Barcelona in a statement today. Selected to exhibit in the Catalan Innovation Zone in the Fira Barcelona Gran Via, as the region’s premier pro-audio loudspeaker manufacturer, in association with ACCIÓ, the Government of Catalunya’s agency promoting Business Competitiveness, the Terrassa, Barcelona based company was one of just three major PA loudspeaker manufacturers exhibiting live at the show. Vice president and chief technical officer Joan Amate reflected that the local focus of the event was, of itself, of value: “Although large-scale PA manufacturers were under represented, there were a significant number of visitors from the sector among attendees. We had valuable conversations and exchanges with people; some of whom we had not met before and others we had not s
Italy - The Vittoriano was built at the turn of the 20th Century to honour Italy's first king, Vittorio Emanuele II, and has since become a must-see for anyone visiting the Eternal City. Prior to the pandemic, Galleria Sacconi (which is located inside the Vittoriano) was chosen to host a temporary exhibition - named Lessico Italiano - composed by 19 different installations designed to celebrate Italian values. Once the planning was complete, the exhibition’s creator and producer, Palzom Films, contacted Italian audio specialist, AudioFactory, to assist integrator AMP di Fabrizio Dovidio with the installation of a sound system that could live up to the expectations of such an important exhibition. “The head of audio of Palzom Films, Alessandro Di Maio asked us an audio sound system with three main characteristics,” explained Oreste Parmentola, AudioFactory’s C
UAE - Dubai-based Levels Audio Visual was established in 2015, with a primary focus on specialised high quality AV solutions for the entertainment and leisure industry. Its work focuses almost exclusively on permanent installations in restaurants, bars, beach clubs and nightclubs, along with AV rental and production solutions for DJs, live music, festivals and wedding events. It has recently become part of the L-Acoustics certified provider install (CPi) network. “Over the years, we have built a reputation as one of the leading providers of AV solutions for these industries, largely stemming from our strong personal passion for music and live entertainment,” says managing partner, Hassan Alwan. “This passion has and continues to drive us to be the best in all disciplines and capabilities.” The company’s portfolio of clients and projects includes some of the l
UK - ARRI has announced the opening of its new mixed reality studio in the UK. Equipped with an LED volume comprising 343sq.m of LED wall, installed in partnership with NEP Live Events production and technical specialist firm Creative Technology, the studio is one of the biggest permanent mixed reality production spaces in Europe. Located at ARRI’s UK premises in Uxbridge, with camera, grip, and lighting packages available on site from ARRI Rental, the 708sq.m studio is being offered for hire to short and long-form productions of any kind, as well as for events, education, and R&D. The volume consists of a main, ‘in vision’ curve that is 30m wide by 5m high; two moveable and tiltable side screens, each 3m wide by 4.2m high and a height-adjustable ceiling of 9.6m by 9.6m. A back curve measuring 18m wide by 4.2m high completes the fully encapsulated yet adaptab
France - The ID84 is Nexo’s first column speaker design, introducing the company’s trademark characteristics of size-to-power ratio, variable directivities and flexible scalable configurations to a loudspeaker category that is relevant for a wide variety of applications. The ID84 is a performance loudspeaker with peak SPL output of 135dB, and a frequency response of 90Hz-20kHz. This slender metre-high package is presented with two companion products, a low-frequency extension module (ID84L) and a partner subbass (IDS312), which can easily be configured to provide an innovative scalable solution for acoustically challenging architectures. Potential markets include all kinds of public spaces, particularly transport hubs, houses of worship, theatres and sports venues, says Nexo. Weighing just 15kg (33 lbs), the ID84 measures 990mm x 150mm x 215mm (39.0” x 5
Luxembourg - In 2016, Luxembourg City’s Philharmonie Luxembourg became the first European classical concert venue to permanently install a Yamaha Rivage PM10 digital mixing system. It proved such a success that it has now added a Rivage PM7. With raked stalls and four seating ‘towers’ on each side, the 1328-capacity Grand Auditorium at Philharmonie Luxembourg combines the acoustics of classic shoe-box concert halls with the atmosphere of a Shakespearean theatre. The smaller Salle de Musique de Chambre features curved walls and can host audiences of 313 people, while the venue’s four foyers can also be used for performances. The venue has featured Yamaha digital mixing systems since it opened in 2005; initially a PM5D and M7CL-32, then a CL5 and the Rivage PM10. “The audio quality of the Rivage PM10 system is excellent. We have been working with it sinc
USA - Audio Precision has released the latest update to APx500 audio measurement software, version 6.1. With this release, AP is adding new measurement results, options, and test signals. APx software now offers the broadest set of methodologies available for detecting rub and buzz defects. New features include: rub & buzz – Previously available in APx software, this method uses high-pass tracking filters to remove the fundamental signal and detect defects as excursions in the residual waveform’s crest factor or peak ratio; SoneTrac – A Bose-developed improvement to the Rub & Buzz, this method filters the residual signal and ratios it to the RMS of the total signal to reduce the noisiness of the measurement result; High-Order Harmonic Distortion - a classic method for rub & buzz detection, HOHD uses the THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) ratio but only of harm
UK - dBS Solutions’ roadmap through Martin Audio’s evolutionary control technology shows no sign of abating. In 2014 they purchased an XD/DD combination rig for deployment on a successful theatre tour. This was followed by the acquisition of a 40-box Wavefront Precision Mini (WPM) system, specifically for the Mercury at Abbey Field pop-up theatre space in Colchester. This ran for an entire outdoor season and was a direct replacement for their old Martin Audio W8LM rig. Then in February 2020 - immediately before lockdown - two hangs of 16 WPM, supported by flown SXF115 subwoofers and DD6 front-fills, went out on the Queen Symphonic tour. Now, the company made its first investment in Martin Audio’s more powerful WPS system. “We’ve dipped our toe in the water with a package that will enable us to provide coverage for 2,000-plus capacity concert halls,”
USA - Xite Labs utilised the disguise Extended Reality (xR) workflow, powered by a gx 2c media server and rx real-time rendering platform, to bring to life a myriad of virtual worlds in Unreal Engine for rapper Bryson Tiller’s Trapsoul World Series live streamed concert. Shot at Xite Labs’ xR stage in LA, the concert accentuated the artist’s musical vibe for fans around the world watching at home. The immersive livestream presented Tiller in a series of six different worlds linked by a narrative flowing through the songs. Xite Labs was responsible for the stunning xR content for 14 different songs performed in four virtual ‘worlds’ with distinct appearances and themes. For this immersive experience, Xite turned to its in-house workflow, featuring a disguise gx 2c media server as the primary controller of the xR environment, while a dedicated disguise
Japan - NBC Olympics, a division of the NBC Sports Group, has selected Xytech’s ScheduALL to provide its enterprise resource and transmission optimisation solution for its production of the Games of the XXXII Olympiad, which take place in Tokyo, Japan, from 23 July. The announcement was made by Dan Robertson, VP NBC Olympics IT, and Greg Dolan, Xytech CCO. NBC Olympics has turned to Xytech’s ScheduALL for a ninth consecutive Olympic Games to deliver advanced enterprise resource and transmission optimisation solutions in order to coordinate the highly dynamic environment of the Games. NBC Olympics will be able to leverage the expertise of Xytech’s software and services to orchestrate the logistics of people, equipment, locations and transmission feeds. “For the ninth consecutive Olympic Games, Xytech has the privilege of contributing to the success of NBC Olympi
Argentina - Producer, musician, recording and mixing engineer Fede Soto Roland has recently taken delivery of an Audient ASP8024-HE console for his Negril Music Studio. Based in Buenos Aires yet inspired by the music styles of Jamaica - everything from reggae to ska and dancehall - the studio’s latest addition is the culmination of a four-year shift towards analogue and represents the beginning of a new era for Fede and his clients. He opened the studio back in 2017. At the time his set-up was almost entirely digital. Over the years he has released over 110 songs including three well-received Spanish Tributes to Gregory Isaacs. “As I got more and more involved in the production of albums and singles however, I became more aware of the difference of having a hybrid setup. So after a few years I decided to add more hardware.” It was whilst the world was in the grip
USA - Meyer Sound has appointed Sweetwater Sound of Fort Wayne, Indiana as a new authorised e-tailer for the company’s line of self-powered loudspeakers for music reinforcement and recording applications. As of 1 June, a selection of Meyer Sound products will be available through Sweetwater’s website and catalogue ordering channels. “Sweetwater is the only national, internet-based retailer with the high level of in-house expertise required to represent Meyer Sound products and technologies,” says Meyer Sound senior vice president John McMahon. “Their sales engineers are not simply order-takers, but rather they are experienced professionals, many of them with extensive backgrounds in sound reinforcement. They know how to match Meyer Sound products to a customer’s requirements.” Sweetwater’s senior director of partner marketing Arend Raby comments: “We
USA - Almost every touring band in the last 50 years has passed through the heartland university town of Champaign, Illinois, situated midway between Indianapolis and Peoria. Many of them have performed at the Virginia Theatre, the town’s vintage venue that turns 100 years old this year. The Virginia recently got an appropriate birthday gift in the form of an L-Acoustics Kara II sound system, designed by Threshold Acoustics, purchased through L-Acoustics certified provider distributor Mid-America Sound, and installed by Knox-Array Event Production. Steadily renovated over the past 20 years by nearly $10m in state grants, private contributions, commercial sponsorships, and large donations, the venue now sports completely updated power, infrastructure, and trim that extends to its ornate plaster and the classic 700-pipe Wurlitzer organ originally installed in 1921 to l
UK - Specialist audio and entertainment technology recruitment business Interfacio has been honoured with a Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade, recognising a period of significant and sustained growth in the company’s international business. Commenting on the award, founder and MD Richard Wear says: "We are extremely honoured to be receiving this award and would like to acknowledge the hard work and commitment shown by our whole team in delivering consistent results for our clients and candidates around the world in what continues to be a fast-changing and often challenging market." Now in its 55th year, the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise are the most prestigious business awards in the UK, and Interfacio is one of only 205 organisations to be recognised in 2021. The Award for International Trade recognises a period of continuous growth
South Africa - Technological Innovations Group (TIG) has appointed Dewald Adendorff as technical support engineer for Crestron in South Africa. Dewald will be responsible for providing technical advice to Crestron customers, ensuring their exact needs are firmly met, as well as assisting the regional sales team. Rupert Denoon, TIG's regional sales director for Crestron in Southern Africa, comments: "Congratulations and welcome to the team, Dewald! We're excited to benefit from Dewald's experience, technical mindset and results-driven approach, and to pass this on to our valued customers here in South Africa." Dewald adds: "I am extremely excited to join such a world-class brand. No matter where I've been, Crestron has always been part of conversations, and now I am ready to start the journey here and contribute to the success story in South Africa."
Europe - Attracting a high number of attendees in April, Yamaha’s online New Technology Showcase revealed the company’s latest professional audio technologies. A key announcement was the launch of AFC Enhance and AFC Image, immersive audio technologies which ‘radically enhance live performances, interactive installations, projection mapping and other experiential events’. The launch event is now available to view on YouTube, where the details of these developments are showcased. Hosted on Facebook Live, the New Technology Showcase was presented by a global team of Yamaha’s professional audio specialists, including key members from the company’s Japan headquarters, US and EU research and development teams, immersive audio specialists and loudspeaker manufacturer Nex
Sweden - Situated in Stockholm’s Royal Djurgården district, the Cirkus theatre complex recently opened a new restaurant, where an Alcons system has been installed. Cirkus first opened in 1892 to house many of Sweden’s prominent circus companies. It has evolved and expanded over the decades to host many different forms of entertainment, including theatre, musicals, dance, concerts, corporate events and television productions. Today it is owned by Pop House Sweden - a company whose principal owners are Abba’s Björn Ulvaeus and investment banker Conni Jonsson. The new Restaurant Djurgården offers classic dishes with a modern touch, ‘inspired by the odd and unexpected’. Brollan Söderström of systems integrator Electrosound AB was asked to supply and install an audio system for the restaurant, its performance stage, bar and the Ernst Rolfe VIP lounge. An Alco
USA - Leading AV signal distribution developer tvONE has announced a new partnership with global technology manufacturer Bosch. The collaboration focuses on the combination of the tvONE CORIOmatrix modular video switching router and Bosch’s range of state-of-the-art conferencing systems. tvONE says using its 4K CORIOmatrix router - which enables the mixing of AV, broadcast, IP and legacy sources seamlessly and at very low latency - with Bosch’s conference solutions facilitates streaming of the active speaker video to a hall display or system that records or webcasts the HD-SDI feed. The Bosch Conference systems connect to the tvONE video switcher via TCP/IP and controls the switcher by using the protocol of tvONE to switch the video stream of the person speaking automatically to displays or video walls. tvONE foresees a host of conference applications that w
UK - AV integrator AT&C has installed K-array loudspeakers and Innosonix amplifiers at Browns newly launched Mayfair shopping experience; the client brief was for high quality audio – and they didn’t want to see it. Browns Fashion offers an unrivalled, tactile in-person experience that flies in the face of the currently obsessive trend for instant online click-and-ship gratification. Blending exceptional service with creativity and technology, the Browns ethos is personified in the recently opened Dimorestudio-designed flagship boutique at 39 Brook Street in the heart of London’s Mayfair. Following extensive construction work which saw the Grade II listed building gutted and completely renovated, a contract was awarded to South Hampstead-based AT&C Professional System to design and install a fully networked, high specification audio system throughout eve
Poland - Polski Teatr Tańca, or Polish Dance Theatre, is an interdisciplinary dance company formed in 1973. While the company owns a rehearsal studio in Poznań in western Poland, it has never had its own performance space - until now. The curtain is about to go up on a new theatre in the historic centre of Poznań, complete with a carefully designed KV2 Audio sound system. From the outside, the building looks like any one of the imposing 19th century edifices in the old town centre. Now fully renovated, whilst the exterior blends perfectly with the rest of the city’s architecture, inside the venue has been transformed into a modern performance space with distinctly industrial feel. Concrete, glass and metal structures prevail in the new space which has been designed as a place of interaction between performers and spectators; here, the set is the whole theatre and audien
UK - Panasonic has announced its new series of 1-Chip DLP laser projectors delivering 4K display resolution. The Panasonic PT-RDQ10 Series is designed for entertainment, rental and corporate organisations that want to ‘captivate viewers with detailed 4K images and vibrant yet natural colour reproduction’. It comes in three different models, ranging from 8,000 to 10,000 lumens. The optional ET-DLE020 Ultra-Short-Throw Zoom Lens with zero offset adds versatility by enabling large-scale images to be projected, free from shadows, even in the tightest spaces. The Series achieves 4K (3840 x 2160) resolution using Smooth Pixel Drive, a one-axis pixel-shifting technology to produce crisp, smooth, and richly detailed images. The updated Rich Colour Enhancer boosts colour reproduction for more vibrant colours, faithfully recreating even the most detailed visuals, such as art
USA - Christie has announced the launch of the Christie Inspire Series, a family of fixed zoom lens 1DLP laser projectors in three brightness options designed for small to mid-sized environments, including classrooms, boardrooms, museums, houses of worship and more. The Inspire Series offers professional-grade features in a budget-friendly package. A range of brightness options, starting at 6000 lumens, as well as 7,200 lumens and 8,100 ANSI lumen options (7,150, 8,500, and 9,600 ISO lumens respectively), brings bold images in WUXGA resolution to any application. And with laser illumination, the Inspire Series offers up to 20,000 hours of low-maintenance operation to 50% brightness. “The Inspire Series offers a winning combination of low-maintenance performance and value, without sacrificing advanced capabilities,” says Chris Kee, executive director, Enterprise pro
UK - The CloudPower series of amplifiers from Apex are set to arrive in the UK and Ireland with the appointment of FBT Audio (UK) as the range’s exclusive distributor. Effective 1 June 2021, the agreement comes as FBT Audio (UK) continues to experience rapid growth in its commercial audio division - a trend that has continued despite the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Described as capable of scaling from “a karaoke room to an opera house”, the Apex CloudPower range comprises four Class-D models - the 4 x 350W CP354, 4 x 700W CP704, 4 x 1500W CP1504 and 4 x 3000W CP3004. Each is lightweight and compact at just 1U and can run in low impedance down to 2Ω or 70/100v line configuration. Also on board is feature rich DSP plus a built-in WiFi hotspot for simple setup, control and monitoring either locally using any HTML5 capable browser (Mac, PC, iOS or Andro
