USA - Funktion-One will return to NAMM Show for the second consecutive year, partnering with, Sound Investment, distributor for North America. Funktion-One sales director, David Bruml, says: “We felt that NAMM was a good show for us last year, so we’re looking forward to being there again in 2019. We’ll be showcasing loudspeakers from across our ranges and anticipate many productive connections and conversations.” The Funktion-One/Sound Investment stand 18007 (level 2, ACC North) will showcase the Evo-6E and Evo-6E-L115 loudspeakers from the renowned Evolution loudspeaker series, F124 bass enclosure, a BR118/F1201 system, the PSM318 DJ monitor and the PSM12 stage monitor. Sound Investment’s Todd Konecny explains: “Our business is built on solid relationships and NAMM gives us the perfect opportunity to connect with both new and existing customers. W
USA - At The 2019 NAMM Show, Astro Spatial Audio and Clair Brothers will partner to bring a series of 3D audio demonstrations to the Anaheim Convention Centre. Taking place twice daily on stand 17200, the showcases will mark the NAMM Show debut of both companies. Visitors to the specially configured stand, located on level two of the convention centre’s pro audio-dedicated ACC North wing, will be met by a formidable Clair Brothers system. The manufacturer’s celebrated kiTCurve12-TrueFit continuously variable horizontal dispersion constant curvature array source enclosures will feature a left-centre-right configuration, while the surrounds will comprise a mixture of 10SPOT hybrid coaxial point source and 5CB 5-inch coaxial point source enclosures. Low-end extension will be courtesy of iPS218-M+ active double 18-inch subwoofers. A single 3U Astro Spatial Audio
The Netherlands - LED video processor manufacturer Brompton Technology will return ISE on stand 12-C105. The company will showcase its new Tessera processor software 2.2.0 for the 4K SX40 processor, to deliver an enhanced feature set that follows the easy-to-use style of its intuitive user interface. The SX40 is Brompton Technology’s highest-ever capacity processor and offers support for full 4K screens at 60Hz with 12 bits per colour output, a zero-latency up/down scaler that matches the source to the screen, plus all of Tessera’s industry-leading processing features such as ChromaTune colour correction, On Screen Colour Adjustment (OSCA), and more. Used in combination with the Tessera XD distribution unit, which is a sophisticated single box solution designed to manage the complications of mass cabling that can arise with large LED display systems, the SX4
The Netherlands - Green Hippo, the manufacturer of multi award-winning Hippotizer media servers, is set for an all-embracing ISE 2019. The company will operate its own stand (Hall 5, stand W100) where visitors will receive a comprehensive introduction and demonstration of the latest software and hardware development. Attendees can also understand more about Green Hippo’s 3D mapping workflow, demonstrated at numerous global events and projects such as Eurovision Song Contest 2018 and Energy City at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. Green Hippo will also be on show on the stand of its sister company, tvONE (Hall 1, stand M140). Paired together, Hippotizer Media Servers and CORIOmaster offer a unique control solution, delivering high-resolution, media manipulation with super-low latency, live capture compositing for a wider range of corporate markets and installations. <
Europe - For Josh Groban, two months hard touring through North America last autumn was followed by a whirlwind sprint through some scattered corners of Europe. With Christmas Day already in sight, Groban played arenas in London and Manchester in the UK, Dublin in Ireland, and Krakow, Poland, all in the space of seven days. Groban’s operatic voice takes centre stage, the main reason why production manager Zito focused his attention on sound. “I have to admit, going into this project the biggest concern I had was audio. The audio needs are very demanding.” Demanding they might be, yet with Groban an established Clair Global client, Zito had reason to be assured. “Marlow ‘Mikey’ Beck is Josh’s mix engineer and prefers an L-Acoustic system,” says Zito. “The K2 and Kara combination proved a good choice.” Zito belongs to that exclusive group of production mana
Europe - Although nobody knows who Alice is, virtually everyone knows the chorus to the song. British rock band Smokie have been steadily touring Living Next Door to Alice and a raft of their other hits since the Seventies, and their success continues to fill arenas all over Europe. Czech Republic production supplier Rental Pro has just brought home a three-country tour with the band, deploying a substantial Nexo STM Series modular line array system as main PA. Playing 20,000-capacity arenas, the Smokie tour of Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary topped off what their front-of-house engineer Sean Greenaway describes as their busiest year in a decade. Accompanied by a 40-piece symphony orchestra, the five-piece band continues to deliver sell-out shows with high production values and a massive dose of nostalgia. Kicking off their 2018 tour in Czech Republic
UK - As part of the expansion of SSE’s London operation in Park Royal, Nathan Hernando has been appointed as sales manager. Nathan most recently worked as business development manager for Solid State Logic, where he had a leading role in their new live console range. At SSE, Nathan takes over the role of sales manager from Peter Codron, who recently moved to Martin Audio. Nathan will steer the development of new equipment sales for SSE in London and the South of England, and will also have an important role to play in SSE’s Installation division. SSE’s sales director, Alex Penn comments: “Last year Nathan helped us to establish ourselves as a dealer for SSL’s Live console range. We know him and he knows us, which I’m sure will help Nathan to settle in. I’m pleased that we have been able to replace Peter as quickly as we have, as London continues to
India - Genelec is set to greatly expand its presence within the flourishing AV and home audio markets of Asia and the Middle East, following the high-profile appointment of Arun Kumar to the post of regional business manager. A respected audio industry veteran whose depth of experience stretches back more than 20 years, Kumar has already played a key role in the development of markets in the region. He is perhaps best known for the many years he spent successfully establishing and driving one of the subcontinent’s leading systems integration companies, eventually growing his team to more than 70 people. Later, he assumed responsibility for sales, marketing and operations for the Bose brand across the entire SAARC region. Reporting directly to sales director Ole Jensen, he will be based in Delhi, while his work will complement that of long-standing sales & suppo
USA - Making its NAMM debut, DPA Microphones will be showcasing its smallest high-end pro audio microphone capsule, the d:screet CORE 6060, 6061 Subminiature Microphones and the d:fine CORE 6066 Subminiature Headset Microphone. In addition, DPA’s d:vote CORE 4099 Instrument Microphone and d:facto 4018VL Linear Vocal Microphone will be used during live in-booth performances throughout the show. DPA will also be participating in a variety of educational sessions as well as supplying mics for several NAMM events. DPA is providing all of the mics for the outside Yamaha Grand Plaza main stage, including d:dicate 4011 Cardioid Microphones, d:dicate 2011 Twin Diaphragm Cardioid Microphones, d:vote CORE 4099 Instrument Microphones and d:facto Vocal Microphones, and will be on hand to help the bands with any mic’ing questions or techniques. DPA is also contributing
UK - Stage Electrics has been appointed to supply film and TV studio lighting hoists, production lighting, sound, video and comms infrastructure and motorised grid systems to Leeds Beckett’s new Creative Arts building. The scope of the contract covers five film & TV studios, three performing arts studios, music studios and mixing & screening rooms, a 180-seat theatre, an 80-seat studio theatre and a 230-seat cinema for film screenings. The building, currently under construction and due to complete in 2020, will house the university’s School of Film and Music & Performing Arts department. Engaged by SES Engineering Services, on behalf of the main contractor, Downing Construction, Stage Electrics is set to begin on site in June of 2019, with the company’s Matthew Addison assigned as project manager for the development. He comments: “The term ‘
USA - Founded in 1968, Klondike Sound quickly became known as a preferred sound system provider for folk and jazz festivals in northeastern USA, including the Newport Folk Festival. The company also provided tour support for Ani DiFranco for 20 years and supplied sound systems for a wide variety of events throughout the region. Now owned by partners Justin Anderson, Jason Raboin, Dustin Yager, and Chris Kelly, Klondike Sound mostly focuses on shows in New England, although the company still provides some touring support. Raboin, for example, has engineered for Joan Baez for the past 17 years, and is currently serving as production manager, front-of-house and monitor engineer for Baez’s 2018 Farewell Tour, using a Klondike Sound system that includes Linea Research 44 Series power amplifiers. Anderson and Raboin discovered Linea Research amplifiers early in 2017, when
Japan - Japan’s Imperial Theatre, located in central Tokyo along with a host of important facilities such as the Imperial Palace and the Congress, was built in 1911 and gained popularity as the first European style theatre in Japan. During the summer, as part of a refurbishment project, the theatre’s audio system was upgraded and now includes DiGiCo SD7T and SD10T consoles. The theatre sees famous Japanese actors and actresses performing in original shows, West End productions such as Les Miserables and Miss Saigon and Broadway musicals. Known locally as ‘Teigeki’, the theatre is now owned by Toho Co., a Japanese film, theatre, production and distribution company. Last July, Teigeki finished its refurbishment, which included the installation of the DiGiCo SD10T, SD-Rack, SD-MINI Rack and SD-Nano Rack with new 32Bit ADC/ DAC cards, which were sup
Finland - AV Marketing Finland has become the new distributor for Martin Audio, effective 1 January. Training and marketing has already commenced, with roadshows, seminars, workshops and many other initiatives lined up for 2019. Jyrki Mäkinen, who joined AV Marketing Finland last year, will become a de-facto product manager. “The first and most important issue was to check loudspeaker ranges suitable for pro users and the installation market,” says Mäkinen. “The focus quickly turned to Martin Audio whose Finnish distribution had previously been handled from Sweden. With an extensive background in pro audio, he contacted Martin Audio MD, Dom Harter, whom he already knew - and hence the seeds were sewn for a co-operation. Mäkinen adds: “AV Marketing Finland is an extremely experienced provider of presentation equipment - but in order to serv
USA - Atlona has promoted industry veteran Blake Jochum to the role of territory manager for Florida effective immediately, following a very successful period as an inside sales representative. Jochum will represent Atlona’s commercial and residential AV product lines, and support David Pendleton, Southeast regional manager, to cover the many business opportunities that exist state-wide. Jochum will also work closely with Atlona’s state-wide partner network to drive sales and business development. He reports to Scott Ettinger, director of sales, Eastern region. Jochum has spent the majority of his career in Florida, and has developed a strong network of industry relationships along the way. Following six years as an AV programmer and lighting technician for Pensacola-area nightclubs, Jochum joined All Pro Sound as corporate sales manager, integrated systems.
The Netherlands - Immersive audio and show control specialists OutBoard will demo the TiMax 500-series software which enables immersive spatial audio rendering and show programming workflows in live, presentation and experience applications, while also featuring selectable skins optimised for outdoors and show conditions. Based on detailed input from leading sound design associates, the new TiMax StageSpace allows auto-calculation of dynamic delay-matrix spatialisation objects directly from a map of the venue, speakers and audience/guest spaces. TiMax spatial objects can be quickly auto-rendered and adapted for different shapes and sizes of presentation and experiential spaces, or stage, audience and audio system configurations. Objects can be fine-tuned by the user, because, as OutBoard asserts “experienced sound designers will tell you it’s the last few millisec
USA - The Lesher Centre for the Arts forms a cultural cornerstone for the bustling downtown of Walnut Creek, California. Since its original construction and opening as the Nuthouse in 1967 and its subsequent reinvestment and expansion as the Lesher Centre for the Arts in 1990, the centre has attracted top theatrical talent and is considered the preeminent performance venue in Contra Costa County. Recently, local AV integration firm Premier Media Integration designed and installed a new sound system using Danley Sound Labs loudspeakers and subwoofers in the Margaret Lesher Theatre, which greatly improved intelligibility, impact, and gain-before-feedback. Of the centre’s four theatres, the Margaret Lesher Theatre is intermediate in seating capacity at 300. It’s commonly used for corporate events, musicals, and dramatic performances, with seating arrayed in a w
Norway - Even before Norway's inaugural Festningen festival began, event organisers Momentium, Trondheim Live and Sky Agency promised a 'magical experience' for all. Public reaction bore that out, and the event has now claimed the top spot as Central Norway's largest and most successful EDM, pop, hip hop, and urban music event, with Festningen 2019 already confirmed for next summer. The festival's venue was the 17th century fortress Kristiansten Festning in Southeast Trondheim. However, nearby residential developments meant that local concern over noise pollution was one of the organiser's big challenges. A careful consultation process between Scandec (L-Acoustics Norwegian certified provider distributor), L-Acoustics, and Momentium ensured the best sound reinforcement solution by deploying an L-Acoustics K2 system with an event-specific configuration developed to emphasize
Europe/Asia - Two teams will take part in the 2019 Mongol Rally to raise money for technical entertainment charity Backup. The rally, which takes place in July and spans 10,000 miles from the Czech Republic to Ulan Ude in Russia, requires participants to ride a very small vehicle, with no support or set route to the finish line, which must be crossed in four to eight weeks. Team Backup, comprising Salvador Avila, Ethan Forde and Duncan McLean, are aiming to raise £50,000 for the charity, with team The Nomadic Numpties of ‘Turbo’ Anthony Hall and ‘Henri’ Abby Cooper targeting
USA - Since 2010, in his role as head of US touring support, Scott Sugden has contributed substantially to the success of L-Acoustics touring markets in North America. Sugden now assumes the position of product manager, reporting to Jeff Rocha, director, product management. “Scott is an outstanding individual who demonstrates a rare combination of both technical acumen and great communication skills, with a keen focus on the user experience, making him the ideal candidate to fill the key cross-functional role of product manager,” comments Rocha. “As a member of the L-Acoustics product management team, Scott will accompany the new product development process by liaising with key stakeholders across geographies and company functions to help L-Acoustics identify, capitalise upon, and communicate new product opportunities.” Effective immediately, recent hire Marcu
Denmark - DPA Microphones has announced the appointment of Thomas Frederiksen as its new vice president of sales for the APAC region. Frederiksen will head up DPA’s regional office in Hong Kong, which was opened in 2013 to support the company’s sales partners throughout Asia. Commenting on his appointment, DPA’s CEO Kalle Hidvt Nielsen, comments: “I am very pleased to have Thomas on board. APAC is a very important region for DPA. I know that, with his strong background in the pro audio market and his extensive experience in Asia, and in particular Japan, he will help drive the APAC team to develop even closer links with our distributors, dealers and customers across the region.” A fluent Japanese speaker and formerly managing director of Shure Japan, Frederiksen is already a familiar face to many in the live sound, installation and pro audio industrie
UK - Lincolnshire-based manufacturer Logic Systems Pro Audio has launched the Notion line-up, which replaces the popular ML range and comprises of four two-way systems, ranging from the compact N8 to the powerful N14, plus three sub woofers. Each full range enclosure features a rotatable horn for horizontal or vertical orientation. Comprehensive mounting options include eyebolt suspension, wall bracket and pole mounting, while ergonomic handles incorporated in the rear of each full range enclosure allow easy handling with all sub woofers having side handles. All Notion series enclosures are constructed from durable plywood and finished with hard-wearing black textured coating paint with white and customer RAL colour options available to order. The ML series have been a popular product in the Logic Systems range for many years, offering a flexible option for front of h
Europe - NEXT-proaudio has developed a unified rack solution N-RAK, designed for optimum performance flexibility and setup simplicity. The new rack was configured to interface seamlessly, allowing multiple configurations for the entire NEXT-proaudio’s product range. Part of a family of four different models, N-RAK 20, N-RAK40, N-RAK60, N-RAK80, all the N-Raks are equipped with Powersoft X8 and/or X4 amplifiers, featuring Dante audio networking functionality (optionally). N-RAK was created as a universal platform developed to facilitate cross-rental between NEXT-proaudio’s users worldwide and to ensure compatibility with the cabling standard of the systems. The N-RAK has Dante (optional), AES3 and analogue inputs for multiple connections, making the setup process greatly simplified and much more efficient than the former LA Rack. With the Powersoft amplifiers
USA - John ‘Lou’ Lousteau, chief engineer at Foo Fighters’ Studio 606, recently installed a pair of JBL Professional 7 Series master reference monitors at the recording studio. The engineer and producer has worked with the likes of Iggy Pop and Joan Jett and also records at Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins home studios, as well as his own home studio. He was so impressed by the performance of the JBL 7 Series monitors at Studio 606 that he equipped his and Taylor’s studios with them as well. “We’ve used monitors from dozens of different brands over the years, but there’s something special about the JBL 7 Series - they just speak to me,” says Lousteau. “Something about them sounds really good. They have a tightness in the low-end, and the mids and highs and really transparent and clear - they’re super accurate. As soon as I heard them, I wa
USA - When technology design and integration company Walker Engineering was asked to assess the paging and public address systems at the sprawling Houston Methodist Hospital, they encountered an assortment of older analogue systems that were inadequate for the needs of a modern medical facility – including integration with the new Paula and Joseph C. “Rusty” Walter III Tower, a 22-story, one million-square-foot building for cardiovascular and neurosurgery. In keeping with Houston Methodist’s approach to medicine, efficient communications across all 10 downtown buildings was a critical need. Walker recommended Bosch Praesideo digital public address and emergency sound system as a scalable, flexible enterprise solution to serve the new Walter Tower and unite it with the rest of the campus. “We had previously upgraded several of the medical centre‘s suburban
