UK - The PLASA 2018 Members’ Day and AGM took place on Thursday 31 May at the Royal College of Physicians in Regent’s Park, London to reflect upon a year of specialist projects, industry collaboration and growth. Members and guests enjoyed a productive day with an insightful AGM, followed by a networking afternoon in the venue’s unique ‘physic’ garden. The lively guest speaker, Caroline Russell from The Ideas Centre Group, encouraged audience participation with her creative approach to problem-solving, then attendees were invited to stay for drinks into the evening. PLASA Treasurer Mark Surtees presented the 2017 accounts and announced that PLASA is in a place of financial stability, highlighting an increase in profits due to commercial growth within Events and Media. Newly elected Chair, Adam Blaxill, added later that all profits funnel back int
USA - Orlando-based Professional Wireless Systems has announced the Alpha Series of products designed to offer users the same durability and reliability that Professional Wireless products are known for. The Alpha Series product line “provides the features necessary to get simple jobs done smarter and more efficiently, at a price point that fits everyone’s budget”. The Alpha 4-Zone Filtered Distro, which can be seen at InfoComm Booth C479 in Las Vegas, is the first product in the series. Intended for use at the heart of every distributed antenna system, the Alpha 4-Zone Filtered Distro combines four sets of diversity antennas and provides signal for up to eight receivers. With RF filtering at 470-616 MHz, the Alpha 4-Zone is a compact and powerful solution for many applications. “The 4-zone Filtered Distro is the first of many Alpha products we plan on rolling
UK - As one of the most well-known reality TV formats, The Real Housewives documents the adventures of a group of women as they go about their day-to-day lives. With all the drama and plot twists that follow, sound recordist Stuart Windle needed a "solid solution to ensure recordings were never lost", leading to his choice of the JoeCo Blackbox BBR1MP. The Real Housewives franchise began on the TV channel Bravo with the Real Housewives of Orange County in 2006, later spreading throughout USA, and now has accumulated a total of 16 different franchises across the globe. From lavish homes to various other "unscouted, noisy and often not ideal" locations, the productions follow where the women lead, often leaving little time for preparation. Stuart Windle, sound supervisor and location sound recordist for The Real Housewives of Cheshire, decided
Europe - Neutrik’s new NA2-IO-DLINE Dante I/O interface will be available from its official distributors and resellers worldwide on 12 June. This new end-of-network device provides an easy solution for integrating analogue signal devices within Dante based AoIP networks. With two line level analogue inputs and two line level outputs, it can simultaneously integrate two analogue audio channels within a Dante network and output a Dante stream as two analogue channels, in just a few easy steps. The NA2-IO-DLINE is optimised for use in extreme environments and applications, offering all of the usual Neutrik standards of robust construction and protection. The unit is equipped with lockable etherCON connections for audio and network I/O, and comes wrapped in a highly protective rubber casing for stand-alone deployment. This can be removed, to allow it be used with optiona
USA At InfoComm 2018, software provide Stardraw.com is unveiling the latest version of its award-winning design/documentation software for AV systems integrators. Stardraw Design 7.3 can be seen for the first time on the Stardraw booth C-3116 at InfoComm 2018. Boasting a raft of new features and significant performance enhancements, SD7.3 will be available for download from the Stardraw.com website in June. All new features are based on user feedback and requests from Stardraw’s extensive user base that now covers 83 countries worldwide. One of the most significant enhancements is a move to a new, 64-bit platform to enable handling of the largest of projects with ease. The new 64-bit architecture is able to manage huge and multiple imported DWG files better than ever before, as well as other resource-intensive non-native data formats including PDF, DXF and image files (PN
USA - Bose Professional has launched the Business Music System Designer (BMSD), a new online interactive design tool to aid audio integrators in specifying the right Bose Professional sound products in commercial audio applications. Hosted online and free to access, the BMSD tool helps users quickly choose the right sound solution for specific applications and customer budgets. The first release of this easy-to-use web tool focuses on Bose FreeSpace and EdgeMax loudspeaker recommendations for non-technical users, based on simple parameters such as room dimensions, mounting style, desired coverage and volume level. The tool then provides “good” and “better” options for loudspeaker quantity, tap settings, placement locations and spacing. Business Music System Designer reduces design time and increases confidence that the right system has been recommended, says th
India - Martin Audio has appointed Preeti Trading Corporation (PTC) as its new distributor in India. Mumbai-based PTC is looking to make the CDD and BlacklineX series available at an early stage while also addressing rental staging requirements through regional channel partnerships. PTC is also planning demo spaces in dealer stores and is set to participate in trade exhibitions, having recently exhibited at PALM Expo India. Speaking of the appointment, Martin Audio’s APAC account manager, Andy Duffield, comments: “As Martin Audio’s product range expands to encompass a wider range of applications and price points, it has become clear that we needed a distribution partner with a wide access to dealer channels across India in order to maximise market penetration across all ranges, throughout the country. Preeti Trading Corporation provides that capability. We are e
New Zealand - Professional audio distribution and solutions company Jands has rebranded its New Zealand branch to JPRO. The name change follows Jands’ continued expansion into the New Zealand market and is hoped to ‘avoid confusion’ with Jands Australia. A new website, www.jpro.co.nz, has also been launched. Bruce Gray, JPRO managing director, comments: “The initiative has been prompted through the recent changes which sees Jands Australia entering into the New Zealand market. We have seen this as an opportunity to promote our own New Zealand brand in a new and revitalising manner. JPRO will resonate with our market and at the same time avoid any confusion with Jands Australia. Gray adds: “For 30 years Jands NZ has led the way in New Zealand, supporting musicians, businesses and institutions with their commercia
UK - Located in London’s Covent Garden, the Poetry Café is a cafe and events space for poetry and literature recitals, music, community groups, interdisciplinary arts, craft and much more. A recent refurbishment project has seen a Yamaha audio installation satisfy a diverse client brief. The Poetry Café is run by the Poetry Society, now over a century old and described as ‘the heart and hands of poetry in the UK’. The venue caters for all ages and demographics, attracting both independent and corporate groups by day and night. A recent major refurbishment included replacing its ageing AV system. Surrey-based systems integrator Flipside was tasked with delivering a solution that was high quality and versatile, but came within the limited budget of a small venue. “After finishing a modern but cosy refurbishment, we were without any sound. The equipment we had b
UK - Cadac is celebrating its 50th anniversary with two new launches in its CDC touch-screen digital mixing console series: the top of the range CDC seven-s and the CDC five; a highly compact, all-in-one mix solution for small-to-medium sized production companies, freelance mix engineers and all manner of fixed sound installations – with a sub £10K price tag. With the launch of the CDC five, comes Version 5 CDC Console Software, which features an improved Graphical User Interface with a completely redesigned console control screen. The GUI has evolved for the CDC five, to include a swipe down feature on its sole 23.5” touch screen which brings up the control screen functions normally found on the separate 6.5” control screen on its larger siblings. Version 5 CDC Console Software also boasts a number of new features – including Cue Ripple and Cue Preview – and perf
USA - L-Acoustics has appointed Jeff Rocha, formerly head of market development for North America, to the newly created position of director of product management. As a member of the L-Acoustics board of directors, Jeff accompanies the product development lifecycle end to end, liaising with key stakeholders across geographies and functions to recommend and implement processes and systems that allow L-Acoustics to identify and address new business opportunities effectively and deftly. This role encompasses market intelligence and identification of key opportunities; crafting product portfolio and technology roadmaps cross-functionally in collaboration with R&D, applications, sales and marketing teams; development of marketing and sales collateral and training; and coordination of communication around products and services. “Since joining L-Acoustics, Jeff
USA - The Audio Engineering Society (AES) International Conference on Music Induced Hearing Disorders (MIHD) will take place this month, 20-22 June, 2018, at Columbia College in downtown Chicago. The conference will feature a wide range of presentations, academic papers and panel discussions focused on the latest strategies and technologies for safer long-term hearing outcomes across the music industry. Conference registration is now open. The conference will bring hearing health researchers and equipment manufacturers together with studio and live sound specialists from the music industry. It will highlight best practices in promoting hearing wellness among musicians, sound engineers, and concert attendees. Organizers also plan to host informal explorations of the Chicago music scene by night. Paper co-chairs Dorte Hammershoi and Jon Boley have curated a diverse ran
USA - Crest Audio has unveiled the new C1 Series range of contracting and installation amplifiers featuring powerful and efficient Class D designs, on-board digital signal processing, Dante protocol networking and USB/Ethernet connectivity for monitoring and control. The new C1 Series amplifiers are contractor-friendly thanks to the addition of Euro connector inputs and barrier strip outputs as well as fault relays and CV (control voltage) inputs. The C1 Series currently comprises four models: C1 86k 8-channel amplifier with 750w/channel into 4 ohms; C1 48k 4-channel amplifier with 2000w/channel into 4ohms; C1 44k 4-channel amplifier with 1000w/channel into 4 ohms, and C1 25k 2-channel amplifier with 2500w/channel into 4 ohms All models incorporate a highly efficient switch mode power supply and Class D circuitry with full bandwidth PWM modulators for ultra-low distort
UK - Situated in the heart of Newcastle, Perdu, established as a long running champagne bar, was moving further and further towards louder club nights with DJ sets – pushing the existing sound system beyond the limits of what it was originally designed for. County Durham-based Promotion Time NE were tasked with specifying a new system that could handle the rigors of the new requirements, but could be integrated within the existing cabling infrastructure and without disrupting the running of the venue during key weekend trading. KV2 Audio’s passive ESD products were deemed the right choice for the task, with the built-in delay and crossover networks ensuring balanced and phase correct signal without the need for any external processing. With the positioning of the main top boxes restricted to the existing speaker positions a system was designed based around a
New Zealand - Singer, songwriter, and record producer Lorde has been out on her international Melodrama tour, which accompanies the new album of the same name. The show is also set to visit some of this summer's biggest festivals, and front of house engineer Philip J Harvey has been along for the ride, engineering on the first international tour on the road with the new L-Acoustics L-ISA Live multichannel immersive technology. To complement this, Harvey needed a console that could do justice to the band and L-ISA, so he chose SSL Live. The stage set-up is relatively simple. An acoustic drum kit, guitar amp, and vocals are the main analogue sources, with two keyboard stations and triggered drum samples making up the rest. "It's a nice, quiet stage," says Harvey. "As the majority of the inputs are the keyboards, software synths, and playback, I have 34 inputs from stag
USA - Located in Reading, PA, the Santander Performing Arts Centre is home to the Reading Symphony Orchestra and hosts numerous events which have included acts such as Willie Nelson, Alice in Chains, Jerry Seinfeld, David Copperfield, Melissa Etheridge, and many more. David Farrar, general manager for the venue was well aware of the fact that his 2,000-seat theatre was special and would require a custom approach to achieve a consistently powerful sound that show-goers would never forget. Says Farrar, “Clair Brothers provided more than I could have expected with their specifically-customised C8-TrueFit sound system.” Beyond overcoming unique architectural nuances of an historic venue, the new Clair Brothers C8-TrueFit system had to bring out the best for a wide range of performances, from children's shows and comedians to orchestral performances and heavy metal band
Portugal - Ampco Flashlight played a major role as supplier of all lighting, rigging, video and motion systems for the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest. Preparations started as early as October 2017. The dedicated team of commercial, technical and logistics specialists, working closely together with local Portuguese partner Pixel Light, laid a solid base for a flawless production in the Altice Arena. Build-up started early April and ended with a 60-hour speed load out. Over 2500 fixtures, almost four kilometres of truss and a huge amount of, cabling, dimmers, distro’s and a state of the art data network was used in this massive TV production attracting over 350m viewers worldwide. Marc van der Wel, project director, commented: “It was very exciting being part of the team, and seeing how our specialists put so much effort, experience and knowledge into this proje
World - Queen + Adam Lambert will complete their current year-long, 78-show world tour in July, which has seen them play sell-out shows in North America, Oceania, and over Europe. The tour provider is Clair Global, and at the heart of all things audio, is a pair of DiGiCo consoles. FOH engineer Tom New moved into live sound when a former bandmate began promoting live shows at a small venue in Brighton asked him to help out with the sound. “With limited knowledge, and a healthy enthusiasm, I threw myself into it, and didn’t look back,” says Tom. “Nowadays, I try to view things holistically: a show is about combining all the elements of a production, in much the same way you combine the elements of a mix, so when everything comes together in the manner that this has, it’s a huge feeling of job satisfaction.” Tom has been with the band for nearly four
UK - Ghost Notes, a new bar and music venue in the heart of South East London’s Peckham, hosts an array of music each week, ranging from live bands and DJs, through to spoken word and speeches. To cope with this diverse array of events and the building’s challenging acoustics, SSE Audio has installed an L‑Acoustics X Series system, providing Ghost Notes with a high-quality solution that also delivers on brand recognition, thus meeting the demands of visiting artists and engineers. Ghost Notes, which shares its space with sister business vegetarian and vegan restaurant Wildflowers, is located within the Peckham Levels, a thriving multiuse business space with a host of facilities for local creatives and professionals. The Levels is a converted multi-storey carpark and the venue is situated within a wide, low-ceilinged, concrete room. “Providing a system t
North America - Media and real-time visual processing specialist ArKaos has widened its distribution network in North America by appointing Elation Lighting as a distributor in the USA and Mexico. Elation will be promoting, distributing and servicing all ArKaos PRO’s video server range and the MediaMaster software. ArKaos MD Agnes Wojewoda comments: “With the on-going diversification of our product range, ArKaos wants to become established in the segments like architecture, architainment, churches and houses of worship, television and broadcast. Elation is a well-established independently owned company with an excellent base, track-record and contacts network.” A.C. Lighting, which was ArKaos’ exclusive distributor in North America since 2012, will continue to support and supply existing US customers and remains the brand’s exclusive distributor in
UK - The d&b Soundscape is “sound as you feel it, sound as you see it, sound as it is meant to be heard”. Attendees at this year’s ABTT Theatre Show will have the opportunity to experience this in person during the d&b Soundscape sessions at Alexandra Palace, London on 6 and 7 June. Powered by the DS100 Signal Engine, a revolutionary audio system processor based on a powerful Dante enabled signal matrix, the d&b Soundscape provides unparalleled creativity through its two software modules En-Scene and En-Space. During the presentations d&b will demonstrate the evolution of sound systems. The team will deconstruct audio content from a number of typical live event scenarios, and through automation of sound objects, recreate them in d&b Soundscape; the traditional theatre, a small gig, Verdi’s AIDA from the Sydney Opera House, and how an
France - Every year, the future graduates of the French school of architecture of Tournai organise the JNDA (Journée et Nuit de l’Architecture), an event that gathers over 4,000 visitors. A disused industrial site is specially transformed to host conferences as well as artistic and cultural performances. At dusk, the venue becomes a concert hall with three stages, where renowned and emerging bands entertain the crowds until late. For this 34th edition, the event took up residence in the former 7,000sq.m Louis Carton industrial workshop. In order to cater for an eclectic crowd, three stages - each dedicated to specific music genres - were set up in the three workshop warehouses: EDM, Urban and Alternative. For the technical side, the organisers trusted YES Event to manage the audio set up of all three stages. The event service provider turned to French manufacturer o
USA - The brainchild of The Who’s guitarist and primary songwriter, Pete Townshend, Tommy – a rock opera that tells the story of a deaf, dumb and blind boy who achieves a personal breakthrough when he becomes an expert pinball player – was first performed on stage in 1969. Featuring some of Townshend’s best-loved songs, including Pinball Wizard and See Me, Feel Me, Tommy has enjoyed remarkable creative longevity as a staple of The Who’s live repertoire, as well as multiple theatrical and touring productions and a celebrated film directed by Ken Russell. For the musical component of the new production currently being staged at Colorado’s Denver Centre, director Sam Buntrock and sound designer Ken Travis had several motivating ideas in mind. “This is not to criticise some of the more recent stage productions, but we wanted to get
UK - Star Events’ X Stage highlights the creativity at AEG Presents’ first All Points East festival in Victoria Park, where sets from LCD Soundsystem, The XX and Bjork drew sizeable audiences this Bank Holiday weekend. Working with Loudsound and LarMac Live, including the main East Stage, a 20m VerTech, the North Stage, with its concentric arches, the West Arena and all the requisite support structures. An ambitious in the round experience, with a hovering DJ platform, the X Stage “puts the finest electronic talent into the heart of the audience”. Star Events’ design team joined two 5m wide/38m span arches at the apex to bring the X Stage to life, using kit from the yard together with ‘specials’ built for the project. Alongside its considerable lighting capacity, each leg of the structure houses an inward facing speaker configuration, whic
