Finland - Green Hippo has announced that the Finnish National Opera & Ballet (FNOB) has upgraded its stock of Green Hippo media servers with the company’s latest Hippotizer V4 systems. The new equipment, supplied by Green Hippo’s exclusive Finnish distributor Msonic Oy, comprises seven Hippotizer Karst+ DVI, two Hippotizer Boreal+ DP and six Hippotizer Montane+ RTX servers - all with dual SDI input cards. The new servers were specified by Johan West, video product manager at Msonic. A long-standing Hippotizer user, West has enjoyed a close relationship with the FNOB since specifying their very first Green Hippo systems back in 2008. Since then, he has been responsible for training the opera house crew, as well as advising on the use of Hippotizer on many productions. He also provides all Green Hippo training and support for the FNOB team. “A series of n
UK - KV2 Audio has announced a partnership with RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art) to support the training of young students in theatre sound production. KV2 has provided a range of EX Series loudspeakers to equip RADA’s Jerwood Vanbrugh and Gielgud theatres, and will also offer masterclasses on sound design and the use of point source technology in a theatre environment. Steve Mayo, RADA’s head of sound, comments: “These partnerships are the life-blood of hands-on training for our students. I am very eager for our sound students to have the opportunity, not only to work with high quality, modern equipment, but also to meet the people behind it. The support we’ve had from KV2 has been invaluable in paving the way for this partnership, from our initial conversations at ABTT in June through to them organising for all our students to have a proper demo of the full KV
USA - Sound and lighting specialist, Infinity Sound, has completed the design and installation of live and background music sound systems for FireHouse Gastro Park (FHGP) in Grand Prairie, Texas. Within the original buildings of a 20th century fire station, FHGP is now a diverse hang-out-and-eat location. The venue has been created by owners Jason and Carlee Smith, in collaboration with Rouch Architecture. The FireHouse aesthetic and philosophy was inspired by the Smith’s roots in southern California, their passion for the historic building rehab revolution, and Grand Prairie’s commitment to preservation and economic development. The original fire station remains at the heart of the FHGP and the sprawling and evolving space now features indoor and outdoor dining, a secret garden bar, a family-friendly green-space, coffee shop and a smoke house. Music is a key eleme
UK - Adlib supplied full technical production to the 2019 Vitality Netball World Cup staged at the 11,000 capacity M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool. Adlib’s rental departments implemented a fully integrated video, lighting and audio package linking in with broadcast elements for BBC and Sky. The spectacle took place over 10 glorious days of top sporting action which delivered world class netball to an international TV audience and many thousands packing into the court-side seats which were sold out for the duration. This quadrennial event featured two distinctive criteria. First, a spectacular opening ceremony which wowed the crowds and got everyone in the mood for the sports to follow. Adlib’s technical team worked closely with curators of the ceremony Culture Liverpool and Iluminos. Adlib provided six Panasonic RZ21K 20,000 lumen laser projectors mounted v
Poland - Warsaw-based AVI Media has been appointed to distribute DAS Audio’s professional audio products in Poland. AVI Media’s Michal Zelman comments: “During my time working in the PA/AV market I was involved in projects and events with DAS Audio products and I always had a very good impression of their performance and reliability. My goal now is to expand this brand’s excellent reputation throughout Poland and participate in larger projects with AV integrators, designers and sound engineers, providing the best customer service.” Ignacio Chuliá, executive sales representative for DAS Audio in Europe, adds: “AVI Media is the perfect partner for the Polish market. DAS Audio has been working with Michal for quite some time and we look forward to sharing this new project with him. “We are positive that our cooperation with Michal will consolidate our
Germany - Over 250 guests were in attendance throughout the nine-day Ambion Digital Jungle open-house event. Attendees enjoyed an hour-long sensory journey of innovative installations focused on tracking, immersive interactivity, sensor technology, realtime control and reactive, generative content using BlackTrax, disguise and Notch. Ambion is a full-service provider that plans and produces technology for concerts, sports events, trade shows and congresses around the globe. The company recently held open house days where they invited selected clients, partners, innovation agencies and event planners to attend. The Digital Jungle demonstrations focused on technology and its application in a live event scenario. OBJ.Studio the Ambion design department has been trying some interesting light and media tech projects in Berlin. The last one was a smart
Germany - Hooke Audio Verse is a binaural recording device comprising a microphone/headset combination and a dedicated app. 3D audio is recorded wirelessly, via Bluetooth at 16-bit 48 KHz, or wired, using the included adaptor. The system is compatible with Android, iPhone, Go Pro, Field Recorders, DSLRs and Computers and has a continuous-record battery-life of nine hours. A proprietary codec delivers almost zero latency - 4.3 microseconds - so any associated video is in perfect sync. Hooke Verse has been available in the USA for two years and has established an extensive customer base of musicians, podcasters, vloggers, producers and sound engineers. Grammy-winning producer Tchad Blake and System of a Down’s Serj Tankian are among its advocates. Now Hooke Verse is available in Europe via distributor Mega Audio. Burkhard Elsner, CEO at Mega Audio, comments: “I first
UK - More Accurate Audio Solutions, a studio in Offenbach am Main, Germany, is run by audio expert Robert Hauck. The studio offers a wide range of services from production to mixing and mastering, as well as delivering training seminars that cover all aspects of studio craft. With two studio spaces - one for production and training in modular synth setups, and the other for mastering, Robert was looking for an integrated solution to provide deep routing and audio resource sharing. After careful research it was decided that a DiGiGrid system could achieve all routing possibilities he required to connect every part, analogue and digital, of his studio infrastructure. With Robert providing a permanent DiGiGrid training and demonstration facility, an education partnership was formed and a full DiGiGrid setup was installed, including an IOS-XL as well as IOX, IOC, MGO, D De
Australia - The discreet design of DPA’s Core 6066 Subminiature Headset Microphone, combined with the fact that it is quick and easy to fit, helped secure an order for 18 units from Australian sound design, equipment hire and production services company LSS Productions. Based in Melbourne, LSS Productions initially wanted the headsets for a recent production of Stephen Sondheim’s 1984 musical, Sunday in the Park with George. However, now that the units are part of the company’s permanent stock it is already deploying them on other productions including the Australian premier of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Ben Elton’s musical The Beautiful Game. Bringing high quality sound to musical theatre and events is a key reason why Marcello Lo Ricco established LSS Productions in 2001. With his background as a performer and musician, plus 20 years’ experience
France - Amadeus has announced the installation of their Holophonix sound processor along with a variety of Amadeus speakers and subwoofers creating a new re-imagined immersive sound system at the Théâtre du Vieux-Colombier in Paris. Built in the heart of the Saint-Germain-des-Prés Parisian district, the theatre hosts at least four productions each season involving classical or contemporary texts, presented in a series from September to the beginning of July. In 1993 the Théâtre du Vieux-Colombier became the second theatre for the Comédie Française. originally created in 1913 by Jacques Copeau. Threatened with closure, the theatre was bought by the French government in 1986, becoming the second Comédie Française hall in 1993. In recent months, the Théâtre du Vieux-Colombier has undergone an in-depth renovation of its stage infrastructure. The electro-acousti
Italy - Once again this year Visarno Arena, in Florence’s Parco delle Cascine, hosted Decibel Open Air, following the success of the 2018 event. The show, organised by Decibel Eventi, has become an important reference point among international music events. Over 30 performers from the international EDM scene performed on the two stages, with Holland’s Armin Van Buuren as the headliner. To ensure the thousands of fans a memorable sonic experience, Tuscan rental company Emporio On Stage from Scandicci equipped the two large stages with Outline GTO sound systems. The hurdles to be overcome to achieve the results requested included ensuring the highest possible sound pressure in the chosen area, while reducing sound spill outside that zone, and Giancarlo Paladini (the PA man and system engineer responsible for the rigs) explains: “This is done by means of a correct p
Japan - As one of Japan’s host venues for the Rugby World Cup, the Toyota Stadium in Toyota City, is gaining a high international profile for its newly-installed Nexo Geo S12-ST line array sound system. With a capacity of around 44,400, the Toyota Stadium in Aichi Prefecture is one of the largest football stadiums in Japan, and is also used for rugby. A major upgrade of its sound system was undertaken in preparation for the 2019 World Cup, equipping it with a world-class installation of Nexo loudspeakers and amplifiers, and Yamaha electronics. M&H Laboratory undertook design and sound consulting for the project, working closely with Yamaha Sound Systems (YSS) and the Nexo engineering support team. The loudspeakers in the new system, primarily featuring Nexo’s high-spec Geo S12-ST line array modules, are discreetly installed amongst the steel beams of the stadiu
UAE - SSL has appointed Provision AVL as its live sound product distributor in the UAE, KSA, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain. Formed in 2014, Provision AVL have grown their reputation as a leading sales and distribution company in the Middle East, representing premium brands including Prolyte Group, Chauvet Lighting, Clair Brothers Audio Systems, Admiral Staging, and Le Maitre. Provision AVL’s MD, Kevin Boujikian comments: “Back in my college days, the first and foremost audio console brand discussed around our Audio Engineering classes was Solid State Logic. Twelve years on, it was vital for us at Provision AVL to add a leading audio console brand alongside the exciting portfolio of lighting, staging and trussing products we already represent - hence the simple decision to go with Solid State Logic. The Live series compliments what we already offer in terms of audio sy
USA - Powersoft has appointed industry veteran Tom Knesel to the position of general manager, North America. Knesel, who will be located at the company’s US headquarters in Kearny, NJ and who will start on 7 October, will report directly to Luca Giorgi, sales & business development director, Powersoft. The announcement follows the successful relocation of Powersoft’s North American headquarters two years ago, and coincides with the company’s increased focus on the systems integration market and launch of the Mezzo amplifier platform earlier this year. “We are very pleased to welcome Tom into the Powersoft family,” commented Luca Giorgi. “Two years ago, we began a significant restructuring of our U.S. operations, which included relocating our headquarters to the east coast, hiring new operational and sales staff, and realigning our entire North American sales
UK - The University of Northampton has deployed a network of interconnected Harman Professional AV solutions to facilitate a cutting-edge collaborative learning environment at their new Waterside campus. The university leadership decided to build a new, centralised campus in Northampton’s Waterside district. The project allowed the school to completely rethink how to best serve their students, resulting in a radically different approach that eschewed traditional lecture halls in favour of flexible, collaborative learning spaces. In order to achieve these goals, AV distributer Midwich supplied the university with a range of AMX, JBL, Crown, BSS and AKG solutions to accommodate the complex technical demands of the ultra-modern campus. The comprehensive Harman solution was designed and deployed by Kinly, a service-led integrator specializing in the design, implementatio
Italy - RTS is well established as a go-to intercom choice for sports broadcasters all over the world. RTS equipment continues to be standard issue in OB trucks covering international competitions at every level. A recent example is Global Production’s OB coverage of the European Under-21 football championships in Italy. The Turin-based company deployed its OB-8 truck to cover the tournament - the largest and most recently-equipped member of its fleet. In addition to this, OB-8 is also Global Production’s first truck to feature RTS intercoms. “We have two other vehicles that use different systems,” recalls Luca Manfredi, OB manager at Global Production. “But when we came to making the technical choices for OB-8, we could see that the RTS system was superior.” As a result of this decision, the large and modern production environment of OB-8 features an
Austria - For the fourth year in a row, Austrian multi-percussionist Martin Grubinger and his Percussive Planet Ensemble, supported by the St. Florianer Sängerknaben boys’ choir, performed outside Linz Cathedral during the annual classical concert series, Klassik am Dom. Both outside and inside the cathedral, Grubinger, the professor of percussion at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg and his ensemble delivered a combination of pop and classical music spanning the history of music. In addition to the audience on site, thousands of listeners followed the performance on TV, courtesy of a live broadcast by Austria’s public station ORF2. Lawo mc² mixing consoles were used for both the FOH mix and the audio mix for the telecast. The 20 musicians of the Percussive Planet Ensemble - nine horns, bass, guitar, drums, keyboard, piano, five percussionists and Grubinger hi
USA - Fulcrum Acoustic has announced the appointment of loudspeaker designer Kirk Lombardo to its expanding engineering team. An industry veteran, Lombardo has experience in professional and consumer audio, working with companies including Electro-Voice, Altec Lansing, and Velodyne. In addition to his design work, Lombardo has worked in other roles including product management and contract manufacturer/supply chain management. “We are happy to have Kirk join our team,” comments David Gunness, Fulcrum's CTO. “We have many product and technology goals established for the next several years. Experienced staff like Kirk are essential in bringing those to market.” “I'm thrilled to have this opportunity,” adds Lombardo. “I've known David since we worked together at Electro-Voice. I look forward to working together again as part of the Fulcrum team.”
The Netherlands - The 2019 heatwave in northern Europe meant that swimming pools were in extra-high demand this summer. Fortunately for the residents of Purmerend, the Dutch town has one of the Netherlands’ largest swimming complexes - and a new Yamaha audio system to make the many activities it hosts even more enjoyable. Owned by sports and leisure facility company Spurd, the Spurd-Leeghwaterbad complex has four pools in a 55,000m3 building, plus a large outdoor sunbathing area with two further pools. A 15m long by 1.5m high, 10cm thick glass wall in the side of the sports pool connects it with the foyer and reception area, creating a visual impact for swimmers as they arrive. Based in nearby Edam, installation and rental company Boogy Brothers Showequipment is owned by brothers Johan and Ferdinand Boogaard. Having previously installed new audio systems at swimming pools i
USA - Season after season, through the ongoing upgrade and refinement of its installed live sound technologies, the 18,000-seat Hollywood Bowl has long ensured that concertgoers enjoy a premium experience at the historic outdoor venue. This year, with one eye on current production demands and another on the next step in the venue’s evolution, the Hollywood Bowl has installed a new pair of DiGiCo SD7 Quantum digital mixing consoles outfitted with 32-bit Ultimate “Stadius” Mic Pre-Amps. “We aspire to do more object-based mixing, and to have the flexibility of many more inputs and many more outputs, distributing them as needed,” says Fred Vogler, principal sound designer and mixer for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, which anchors the Hollywood Bowl’s summer season. “Looking at our options, we thought that taking the Quantum leap, so to speak, was the most
USA - Audio Precision announced today the APx500 Flex audio analyzer, enabling the use of APx audio measurement software with ASIO-capable third-party audio interfaces or sound cards. With the introduction of APx500 Flex, manufacturers can cost-effectively deploy the measurement capabilities, flexibility and quality of APx software to their production lines. The APx500 Flex audio analyzer is Audio Precision’s APx500 measurement software operating independently of an AP hardware analyzer, with licensing controlled by an APx500 Flex Key. In lieu of a purpose-built analyzer, Flex can be paired with ASIO-capable third-party audio interfaces to create a cost-effective solution for a variety of acoustic and electrical test applications. Measurement scenarios where hardware performance requirements are secondary to test system price - such as production line test of spe
USA - DPA Microphones will debut its new 2028 Vocal Microphone to the US pro audio market at AES 2019 (stand 633). The company will also highlight its new 4097 CORE Supercardioid Choir Mic at the show. “DPA continually strives to provide the most advanced technology and best sound possible to meet the growing needs of current and potential customers,” says Christopher Spahr, director of sales and marketing, DPA US. “Our new 2028 Vocal Mic and 4097 Choir Mic solutions are the latest representation of our mission. From churches to concerts, DPA is proud to offer ground-breaking solutions that continue to push the limits of modern technology.” The 2028 Vocal Mic is ideally suited for live stage performances, broadcast and pro AV applications. On a live stage, the 2028 delivers the same sonic qualities as DPA’s other microphone solutions and needs no (
Denmark - Pascal’s CEO and co-founding director Lars Rosenkvist Fenger has been shortlisted for an EY Entrepreneur Of The Year award. EY Entrepreneur Of The Year is a unique global program that recognizes entrepreneurial achievement among individuals and companies that demonstrate vision, leadership and success - and work to improve the quality of life in their communities, countries and around the world. Fenger and Pascal are nominated in the Copenhagen region, home to over half the country’s commercial enterprizes. In less than 10 years the company has risen from a start-up to rank among the kingdom’s top 0.07% highest performing companies, in the process becoming the number one supplier of amplifier electronics to the pro-audio industry. The EY award program focuses on spotlighting the world’s most successful and innovative entrepreneur le
UK - Cadac again provided the audio mixing capabilities for the IBC TV broadcast studio at this year’s convention. The CDC five with its compact form factor, courtesy of a single 23.5” touch screen and 16 fader operating surface, handled the audio duties for the studio. “You get a lot of audio capability in a small space,” says Pete Craigie, sound supervisor for the channel. “Although IBC TV appears to be fairly straightforward technically, there are challenges with various record feeds going to different destinations and multiple monitoring stations to be set up. The flexible routing on the CDC five handled this well.” The complete Cadac MegaCOMMS 96k / 24-bit audio mix setup comprised the 48 input / 24 assignable buss console, CDC I/O stagebox and CDC MC MADI bridge. “The use of the MADI bridge enabled quick, easy and stable connectivity to th
