UK - Having sat through one too many ‘tin-pot’ live performances during lockdown, a group of live event professionals have got together to create audio and video production service, AfterLive Music. Inspired to help bands, performers, record labels and promoters to present live performances in a way that provides audiences with an authentic and captivating ‘in the room’ viewing experience (whilst keeping within COVID-19 guidelines) performances are recorded, mixed and mastered with the help of Audient gear. “It was our love of live music that brought us together, and drives us and this project forward,” says Adam Bonner, who along with Jamie Tinsley looks after all things audio. “We didn’t feel that early lockdown live performances were representing the artist in a good way at all. Poor audio quality was my biggest issue.” Adam has spent his last five year
Thailand - Powersoft has appointed M.I. Engineering as distributor for Thailand. Established in 1994, M.I. Engineering offers a wide range of audio solutions to a variety of projects, from home cinema to fixed installations. The company is a member of the Mahajak Group, a full service importer of sound system products. “We pride ourselves in providing excellent service and quality audio products to our customers, which drives us to always be aware of the best solutions available on the market,” comments Attapol Praisri, M.I. Engineering’s product manager - professional audio division. “Everything that we have in our arsenal, not only suits our philosophy, but also the systems our customers want to build. Having Powersoft added to our portfolio is going to strengthen this position.” M.I. Engineering was introduced to Powersoft last January by Arthur Soh, Power
Spain - Amate Audio is launching the X102FD, a high output point source active 2x 10” system, developed to offer a higher performance, higher efficiency alternative to line arrays, in medium and smaller size application environments. In any application, fewer X102FD systems will always be required than with other cabinets, says the company. Weighing just 32 kg, the cabinets can be deployed and rigged by just one or two people; without the infrastructure, man-hours and effort required to fly a line array. The X102FD can be deployed both vertically and horizontally, due to its rotatable horn with a simple “no tools required” pull, turn and release mechanism. In vertical FOH applications, the horn provides 80° x 60° (HxV) dispersion (in its default position). In the horizontal plane – for applications such as front-fills within a large-scale line array system,
Germany - Last year the Bremen-based service provider AVM Veranstaltungstechnik, chose to make a significant investment in Coda Audio systems. The company, led by managing director, Jens Wiegandt, took delivery of a range of sound reinforcement, including the compact arena line array AiRAY system, SCP-F subwoofers, APS (Arrayable Point Source), APS-SUBs, as well as LINUS DSP loudspeaker management amplifiers. In the months before the Coronavirus pandemic struck, the systems had provided sound at top events such as the Summertime@Norderney and Tabularazza festivals, as well as at a host of concerts and corporate events. “In the first instance, we chose Coda because we consider them to be a very technically innovative company. We were impressed by the excellent sound characteristics and high output they achieve from such compact and lightweight systems,” commented Ma
USA - The Meyer Sound education team is returning with a series of Spacemap Go roundtable discussions in November and December. Each session will welcome questions from attendees and be answered by a team of panellists. The roundtables will also focus on different features of Meyer Sound’s new Spacemap Go spatial sound design and mixing tool. Roundtable 1, What is Spacemap Go: Getting started quickly and programming offline (4 November) will explain how to get started, the components of a Spacemap Go system, the concepts of a Spacemap as well as provide a general application overview. Roundtable 2, Implementing Spacemap Go into your workflow: System example and saving your work (11 November) will explore building multiple Spacemaps for a simple loudspeaker configuration, plus saving projects and snapshots. Regardless of a system’s size, Spacemap conce
USA - Harman Professional Solutions has announced the addition of 10 free Live Workshops available for registration. From musicians and performers to designers and programmers, upcoming workshops feature audio and lighting experts who have extensive industry knowledge and experience. Collectively, the presenters have worked with various artists including Bob Dylan, Carrie Underwood, Green Day, Janet Jackson, John Mellencamp, Kenny Rogers, Lionel Richie, Lou Reed, Marilyn Manson, Michael Jackson, Natalie Cole, Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, Styx, The Rolling Stones, Tina Turner, U2, Van Halen and many more. The workshops open for registration include: The Art of Perfect Playback in Lighting Design with Michael Keller (27 October), A Brief User’s Manual For A Lighting Career with Benny Kirkham (28 October), The ABC's of Awesome Lighting Technology with Brad Schiller (2
USA - For more than four decades, the Dee Events Centre (DEC) on the campus of Weber State University (WSU) in Ogden, Utah has served as the home court of the NCAA Division I WSU Wildcats men’s and women’s basketball teams and played host to many Big Sky Conference championship games. This summer, the domed arena welcomed its newest ‘player’ - a new L-Acoustics Kara(i) loudspeaker system designed and installed by Salt Lake City’s Poll Sound. Capable of seating nearly 11,600 spectators in its circular bowl, the Dee Events Centre is a multipurpose venue. It has also hosted its share of other college and professional sports, major touring concerts, commencements, religious and community events, and much more. Although the school has continually invested in various upgrades to the venue over the years, one thing that has remained unchanged for more than a quarter centu
Portugal - NEXT-proaudio has opened a new logistics centre that will operate as an extension to the company’s factory in Porto. Utilising three new automatic logistics software programmes (online interactive platform, Internal logistic software NXT and an automatic packing optimisation software) all based on the 4.0 technology, the new centre will significantly increase the available space, flexibility and efficiency of the company’s warehousing and all domestic and international operations, says NEXT. The new logistics centre provides 1000sq.m of floor space for warehousing and logistics, as well as office space for sales, marketing and logistics control. The centre is located in Porto, 10km away from the main port and airport, making transport and logistics “easy and convenient”. The centre is already in operation and gearing up for the launch of NEXT Audioco
South Africa - Making a decision to swim rather than sink, Sound HQ Solutions along with production manager Sharif Baker, who is also the chairman of TPSA and spokesperson for #LightSAred, have survived the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa with fewer bumps and bruises than many other companies during this tough time. They recently launched their new Festival Studio in Muldersdrift, Johannesburg, a hybrid and virtual facility which includes outdoor stages, and are confident that they are able to pull off a variety of festivals and events for their niche gospel, jazz and music markets. Alvin Bruinders, the owner of technical supply company Sound HQ Solutions, started working with Sharif Baker some 20 years ago on MY Joyous Celebration, a gospel powerhouse formed in 1996 to celebrate the political change in South Africa and the peaceful transition into democracy.
UK - Orbital Sound reports “an outstanding summer season” for its Car-Link wireless in-car speaker series, designed specifically to address the drive-in sector’s demand for a high quality, reliable solution. Car-Link was created to address the challenges of delivering consistently excellent in-car audio, overcoming the myriad issues associated with reproducing modern movie soundtracks and live music performances without compromise in the growing drive-in market, says Orbital. MD Chris Headlam expands: “Car radios fitted to vehicles are all different. Some have big bass speakers, and others just tiny tweeters. None really sound very good, and none are designed for accurate sound reproduction. As a result, it is totally impossible to relay clear and fair sound equally to everybody via the vehicle manufacturers’ car installation. Add to this a raft of other issues - i
South Korea - Located in the city of Paju, South Korea, CGV Paju Yadang is the latest movie theatre in South Korea opened by CJ CGV - the country’s largest multiplex cinema chain and the fifth largest in the world. Opened at the end of July 2020, it has five auditoriums, all with recliner chairs and Barco laser projectors. The main auditorium features an Alcons pro-ribbon system, specified and supplied by specialist cinema company Yuyukorea Co, based in Seoul. It was installed by the company’s head engineer, Mr Kang. “We helped the customer with A/B demonstrations of different systems,” he says. “They were very satisfied with the Alcons Audio demo, saying ‘We love the HF from the pro-ribbon tweeter and could definitely hear a cleaner sound than from other systems’. They made an instant decision after the demo to choose the Alcons system.” The syst
USA - Spanning 14 floors and featuring dining options, a gym, more than 3,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, and a rooftop pool with a terrace bar, cabanas, and a fire pit, the Canopy by Hilton Downtown is a boutique lifestyle hotel in Tempe, AZ, USA. To provide sound reproduction throughout the venue, management invested in the installation of a healthy assortment of loudspeaker systems drawn from catalogue of Valencia, Spain-based DAS Audio. Skinny’ Greg Gilman, who is involved in a wide range of music and sound endeavours, including both work as a DJ and as an AV installation professional, was contracted to manage the Canopy’s sound system installation. Working in conjunction with Oakland Park, FL-based TM Sound, an AV design/build firm, the combined team deployed an assortment of DAS loudspeakers that drew from the company’s Quantum, Ovi, and WR Series catalogues.
USA - Combo’s modern approach to hostelling has materialised into an ambitious architectural and urban redevelopment project that has already opened its doors in Venice, Milan and Turin and is scheduled to extend to other Italian cities very soon. Here, travellers are greeted by airy common spaces, a trendy bar and eatery, and relaxed workspaces with several dedicated event, exposition and meeting spaces. There is also music throughout most of the common areas, thanks to a Genelec sound system. Far more than the hostels of old, Combo bills itself as a cultural hub for citizens of the world, combining hospitality with music. The hostels in Turin and Milan boast their own radio booths, which broadcast full time in the hostels and online, and all sites offer rooms equipped with AV technology to host talks, screenings, live sets, listening sessions, art workshops and more. The
Romania Two luxury hotels from an eventual complex of three have just been opened by Romanian-based Phoenicia Hotels Group in the popular coastal resort of Olimp / Mangalia. Operating under the Phoenicia Blue View brand, the first two - Belvedere and Panoramic - which will flank the Amfiteatru Hotel when it opens next year, have been equipped with Martin Audio’s Adorn loudspeaker series. These were supplied by Martin Audio’s long-term partner, Paradigma Teknik, who were awarded the contract. Traditionally a popular tourist destination, the hotels had been closed for more than 20 years and became derelict until the Phoenicia Group purchased and rebuilt the original structures, investing €35m (a figure that is expected to rise to €50m by the end of 2021). Paradigma have called on the powerful Adorn A55T several times on projects since its launch early
Europe - Shure has unveiled DuraPlex, the company’s new subminiature (5 mm) omnidirectional lavalier and headset microphone. Designed to stand up to the toughest conditions, DuraPlex boasts Shure’s first IP57 certification rating, keeping dirt, dust, water, and perspiration from upstaging the audio. The minimalistic form factor features the same cable durability of TwinPlex – Shure’s premium line of lavalier and headset microphones. DuraPlex was developed ‘with input from esteemed audio professionals and supports the diverse needs of film and television, theatre, broadcast, and corporate presentations’. DuraPlex consists of the DL4 Omnidirectional Waterproof Lavalier Microphone and the DH5 Omnidirectional Waterproof Headset Microphone. “In developing DuraPlex, we wanted to provide a simple, consistent, reliable solution, ready to tackle any environm
USA - Foo Fighters recently played the #SOSFest livestream with Brit Row providing the virtual remote mixing solution. Performing at West Hollywood’s Troubadour, the gig was streamed to fans on 18 October as part of a collective action weekend in support of independent US-based music venues. A total of 35 artists - including Miley Cyrus, The Roots, Major Lazer and Leon Bridges - played in multiple venues in cities across the US and joined the Foo Fighters in raising awareness and funds to keep North America’s cherished independent concert venues from closing indefinitely. Named #SOSFest, the three-day virtual music festival was created to support the Save Our Stages initiative and America’s National Independent Venues Association’s (NIVA) Emergency Relief Fund. NIVA’s YouTube hosted the festival, with individual sets also aired on artist channels. Pri
USA - Harman Professional Solutions has introduced the JBL IRX115S powered subwoofer. The JBL IRX115S powered subwoofer, the newest member of the JBL IRX Series, draws from JBL’s top professional touring technologies and offers 128 dB of low-frequency coverage in a rugged, compact cabinet weighing just 65.3 pounds. “With our IRX Series, we’ve drawn from 70 years of JBL innovation to design a portable PA that’s lightweight, powerful and doesn’t take a lot of work to sound great,” says Craig Lambrecht, director, portable PAs, Harman Professional Solutions. “JBL IRX Series loudspeakers already deliver stunning sound in an incredibly compact footprint. By adding the IRX115S subwoofer, users can enhance their systems with room-shaking bass, without breaking anyone’s budget - or back.” Inside, a 15” woofer with 3” voice coil produces powerful bas
Europe - OCA Alliance, the not-for-profit trade association that exists to promote and support the AES70 standard for open control architecture, has launched a new website with better, more easily accessible information and new resources for anyone that is interested in adopting or using AES70 in their projects. “Our mission is to simplify the lives of AV professionals everywhere by encouraging and facilitating the adoption of AES70 as a universal, standards-based control and monitoring protocol,” says Bosch Communications’ platform strategist, Ethan Wetzell - also marketing committee chair for the OCA Alliance. “It’s a complex subject and knowledge levels vary enormously, so our first task was to distil the key messages so that the benefits are immediately clear to all. Then, we
Israel - Established in 1991, Mandel Cultural Centre is a community space located in the Jaffa region of Israel. The centre caters to the needs of the local community, and because of its prime location beside one of the largest stadiums in Israel, it is in high demand for private functions. For this project TechTop Marketing, importer of professional audio equipment, worked with installers Charmer Group installers to upgrade the facility's audio system using LEA Professional solutions. “Once Charmer Group recognised the team behind LEA Professional, they knew the technology and solutions provided would be nothing short of revolutionary,” explained Shimon Pick, director at TechTop Marketing. “LEA has a huge depth of pro audio experience behind them, and going into a significant local project like this, that level of expertise is incredibly reassuring to all parti
Italy - A Lawo 24-fader mc²36 All-in-One console and two compact Lawo stageboxes are at the heart the new 4K OB truck that Lawo partner ARET Video & Audio Engineering has designed and built for a Middle East customer. The Gulf state client manages a culture-based television channel in addition to various tourist, cultural and media activities, and plans to expand into the filming of sporting events. The new OB van features a layout that maximizes internal space while allowing interoperability between all three operational areas: the main production area, with monitor wall, slow motion equipment and character generator stand, the Audio room, with its custom acoustic insulation, and the engineering and camera control area with control of up to eight cameras via fiber-optic connection, plus two wireless cameras. Each of these areas, including the racks, has its own indepen
Poland - Overlooking the waters of the Motława river, Woosabi is Gdańsk, Poland’s latest high-end restaurant, with Asian-inspired food and drink and some of the best music and atmosphere the bustling city has to offer. No expense was spared during Woosabi’s creation, with great consideration being given to the venue’s prospective audio system and the way it can affect diners’ experience. Although the restaurant’s owners - Jocki Koeffler and Diana Sadłowska - had no prior relationship with local sound company, Offstage, they quickly identified the company as being the ideal partner for this particular installation. Offstage’s Przemysław Waszkiewicz said: “I showed them around Gdańsk so they could hear some of our other installations with their own ears. They were more than happy with what they heard, so we then went on to discuss their specific
UK - disguise has launched three Extended Reality (xR) stages in its London, Los Angeles, and Hong Kong offices. The new stages provide a dedicated space for xR innovation and customer demonstrations, allowing disguise to present new workflows. The stages are equipped with disguise’s xR solution and a proven complement of LED displays, cameras and camera tracking systems to ensure successful xR productions. For its London and LA stages, disguise has chosen long-term partner ROE Visual to deliver LED panels that bring high-quality visual effects to life on large display formats, creating immersive experiences for performers on stage and audiences at home. “It’s a pleasure to have partnered with disguise on this fantastic project. We are pleased to be at the forefront of the ever-popular technique of virtual production and it’s great to have a fully functioning
Italy - Outline has announced the launch of their latest design, the L3000 multi-purpose amplifier. The L3000 has been created to offer ‘a compact, powerful DSP-equipped multi-channel amplifier that can be configured to drive most loudspeaker configurations’. Additionally, its form factor eschews the traditional 19” rackmount format, its mechanism being housed in a ‘super-tough’, lightweight chassis using the same materials and roadworthy polyurea external coating as Outline’s tour-grade loudspeakers. Its modest dimensions make it suitable for a wide range of audio installation projects, notably those where space constraints make it impossible or impractical to find space for traditional amplifier racks. L3000 allows 3,000W of audio power to be tucked away out of sight, under a bar, on a shelf, in a cupboard or anywhere that’s convenient to the appl
Australia - Situated in Melbourne’s east, the community at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church was being crowded out by a suburb fast-tracked for urban growth. Needing to relocate to a quieter location with room to expand, they became aware that a short distance down the road the St. James Uniting Church, with its striking mid-century early modern architecture, was looking to sell. A deal was done which duly led to a full-blown renovation of the church, including a sensitive, high quality audio visual fitout in the heritage-listed building. This included a Martin Audio O-Line as the sound reinforcement system. St. Paul’s Lutheran found an integrator in Mozaix that really understood house of worship requirements, and director Paul Tucker immediately struck up a rapport with the church’s building committee. Paradoxically, the original St James space had been
