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Sound Dynamics, the specialist sound installation company based in Belper, Derbyshire, is celebrating its 15th anniversary - thanks in part to the UK's obsession with health and fitness. Steve Porter and Gerry Cornell founded the company in 1987, just as the aerobics boom was getting underway. By carefully tailoring equipment packages to the specific needs of gyms, exercise studios and sports centres, Sound Dynamics rapidly gained a national reputation. The company sells stand-alone systems and self-install wall-mounting kits as well as commissioning full installations; Sound Dynamics has also ventured into manufacturing, producing proprietary ‘user-friendly’ amplifers which have the minimum of fascia controls.

Today, the company’s customer database holds more than 10,0

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Nexo's new GEO Series has made its Swiss debut at the annual Fêtes de Geneve, part of an unusual mixed Alpha/Geo system designed by PA rental company Zapsono. The Fêtes de Geneve festival is staged every August, and culminates in a street parade and firework display beside Lake Geneva. More than 400,000 people came to see the fireworks this year, and sound designer Jean-Michel Ballu and his front-of-house engineer Frédéric Walder had to devise and run a system which delivered coverage across 240° and up to 500m in range.

The occasion proved an ideal test for Nexo's new GEO tangent array system. Two hangs of 10 S805s were erected, together with a stack of eight CD12 HyperCardioid sub-bass, on a pontoon which was floated out into the lake, 100-200m from the audience. Although the CD12 sub-bass units were only used for the first fireworks, the system results were impressive. To achie

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Color Kinetics Inc (CKI) has announced the completion of a $17million round of financing. In addition to a major worldwide consumer products company and a leading advanced semiconductor company, this financing round features participation from both existing and new investors, say CKI, and positions the company for growth, leadership and market competitiveness in the $40+ billion global illumination market.

The company’s flagship line of technologies, which are used today in a variety of commercial and consumer applications, leverage a patented layer of digital intelligence called Chromacore to control LEDs, generating millions of colours and a variety of lighting effects. The company says the new investment will be used to extend the company’s current business lines and leverage its wide-ranging intellectual property to develop solid-state lighting solutions for the general

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Indochine X PixMob Fan Immersion

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's - 40 thousand LED pixels on a ceiling!!! Indochine's whirlwind tour transports fans to another level of the live experience - immersing them from floor to ceiling with PixMob's X4 wristbands, and an LED ceiling made entirely of its NOVA Minis! With the vision of Indochine's creative team, PixMob used its LED fan-technology to turn attendees and venues into an ocean of effects, and a starry sky of LED magic. Très très cool!

Read more about the Indochine tour in the latest issue of LSi

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The late seventies and early eighties saw the illuminated dance floor as a trend setting addition to many nightclubs and discotheques. Now thanks to the advances in technology which LEDs, modern plastics and aluminium have made, a major new product is to be launched at PLASA 2002.

ChromaDeck, jointly developed by Litestructures and Pulsar, is a hybrid of the industry-standard litedeck stage system and the successful Pulsar ChromaPanel. Controlled by the standard Pulsar controller and compatible with the Litedeck staging system, this new product can be used in either fixed installation or as part of a temporary or touring stage or set. Available either from Litestructures or Pulsar and any of their recognized distributors.

Litestructures can be found on C19 and Pulsar on G46.

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Soundcraft has strengthened its sales force with the arrival of Gary Dent as regional sales manager for the UK. Dent bring a wealth of experience in pro audio, having spent 18 years as sales and marketing director for Music Lab, followed by stints with Arbiter and VDC. His responsibilities will include maintaining relationships with Soundcraft’s existing pro accounts and developing new opportunities - across the company’s core markets of radio, broadcast, recording and live sound reinforcement. "I have arrived at a positive stage in the company’s development," said Dent. "The new MH4 desk is right on the button and the programme of forthcoming products also looks extremely exciting." Gary will report to UK sales manager, Trevor Coley.

(Lee Baldock)

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North East-based Hi-Lights Theatre Services recently saw its new Prolyte stage in action at the National Trust's Ormesby Hall over the August bank holiday weekend. With a concert featuring Suzie Quattro and headlined by Status Quo, the Prolyte ST complete roof and tower system with additional front cantilever proved a great success, especially with the rigging crew, thanks to its speed and ease of construction. The fully fitted cover also meant that rigging could continue in the heavy rain experienced before the event which thankfully cleared up for the night.

(Lee Baldock)

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New Zealand-based Selecon is unveiling three new products at the PLASA Show this year. The first - the Pacific MSR Dowser - provides exact dimming of discharge light sources (MSR, MSD, CDM) used in the Pacific fixture.

MSR/HSR are popular discharge light sources combining high light output with a colour temperature of 5600-6000K. The modular design of the Pacific ensures this light source in combination with the dowser can be used in all of the Pacific range providing new opportunities for the entertainment lighting designer. With a black-out response time of less than 0.5 seconds and a fade duration defined by the control console, the Pacific Dowser provides a fade profile designed to match the response of a dimmed tungsten halogen lamp. Control is via DMX 512 with a choice of 8-bit or 16-bit resolution for long smooth fades.

The second new product is the Finelite II projector. Th

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Litec will show its new professional truss system designed for very heavy duty use, at PLASA 2002. This new range is designed to meet professional needs when a high loading capacity is required together with wide spans. It is particularly suitable for building large covered structures. The connection systems consist of aluminium or steel forks according to the model. The High Load line expands Litec's range in this demanding professional sector, where materials have to meet special needs and be highly reliable.

Litec can be found on Stand E16.

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Bell & Order, ARX's hardworking Singapore and Malaysian distributor advise that the Kreta Ayer People's Theatre has recently been updated with ARX power amplifiers and signal processing. One of the oldest traditional theatres in Singapore, Kreta Ayer caters for Chinese cultural events such as operas, musicals and other theatrical productions. Included in the update were ARX Sixgates, and over 10 ARX ZR550, ZR850 and ZA600 multi-channel power amplifiers. Bell & Order have also supplied Singapore Zoo with a further quantity of ZA800 8-channel power amplifiers for use with their exhibits to add to their extensive inventory of ARX products used throughout the world famous zoo, home of the legendary Singapore Night Safari.

(Lee Baldock)

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Vestax is hosting a competition to find the best turntablist in the UK. The event will take place at London club Fabric on 11 October 2002 and will feature showcase sets from The Scratch Perverts, The En4cers and The Mixologists.

Open Battle starts at 9pm and all competitors will use PDX-2000 turntables and either the PMC-05/06 or 07Pro mixer. The Open Battle (video tape entries) will feature two one-minute battle routines with the first and second-placed going on to the main competition. The main competition itself (which is invitation only, plus the two successful winners from the open heat) will consist of two rounds of two minutes each. The first will be an elimination knockout, whilst the second will decide the UK Champion and runner-up.

Entries will only be accepted as a two-minute recording on VHS tape: the closing date for these is 30 September 2002. Entries must include na

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Next week’s PLASA Show will see the launch of the largest collection of new products ever from Milos Structural Systems. Amongst the many launches planned are the QuickTruss M400 and M520 ranges for heavy-duty applications, including folding truss sections and Super-sized MR3 ground-support roof systems to cover areas up to 280sq.m. However, the central launch will be that of the X-Stage platform system. This is a lightweight range of fast assembling deck systems with high loading capacity offering a versatile solution for stage and touring applications.

Representatives from Milos, Milos UK and Milos America will all be at the show to welcome visitors to the stand.

Milos can be found on G45/H60.

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WS Steele of Glasgow has completed the installation of a sound reinforcement system in the Chapel of St Salvator at Scotland's oldest university, St Andrews. The Chapel, founded in 1450, is one of the finest examples of Scottish Gothic architecture, and is highly valued by the Church of Scotland.

Acoustic consultant John McDonald, who drew up the design brief, explained that "the objective was to make the sound as natural as possible. The chapel as a very pleasing acoustic, so we wanted to use natural reverb to enhance the sound. The main problem was the separation of noise source from the choir and organ, so that people sitting below the gallery could hear what was happening above." For this purpose, microphones have been centred in the choir area which are automatically activated when the choir begins to sing, and this sound is relayed to the speakers under the balcony.

S

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Linkin Park has had one of the most intense touring schedules of any band in recent years, playing a record number of 324 shows in 2001. Their debut CD, Hybrid Theory, was nominated for three Grammy Awards in 2002, and the group won the Best Hard Rock Performance Grammy for the single ‘Crawling.’ While out on tour, Linkin Park uses a wide array of Audio-Technica wired and wireless microphones to help capture their unique sound.

Front-of-house engineer Brad Divens and monitor engineer Roger Pigman are two of the key people responsible for engineering Linkin Park's sound and equipment choices while on the road. Divens, who has worked with such diverse acts as Cindy Lauper, Monster Magnet and Machine Head, says he was sold on Audio-Technica mics from his first time using them. "Our monitor engineer Roger Pigman brought out a pair of AT4050s for me to try on guitar and af

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David Catterall has been promoted to managing director of Flying Pig Systems/High End Systems Europe and UK. Catterall has been in the lighting industry since 1985 and has worked in international sales for the past 15 years. He joined Flying Pig/High End in 1999 when the two companies merged. His first focus was on the integration of FPS' business with HES, and then more recently he took responsibility for HES European sales.

John Wiseman, VP of Worldwide Sales commented: "David has been onboard with HES Europe since day one and has done an unbelievable job in the UK and European markets. Because of his leadership and the respect he garners in the lighting industry, we feel he will lead us into the next phase of our growth."

(Ruth Rossington)

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The PLASA Show’s 25th appearance this year coincides with the 25th anniversary of another well-known industry fixture - Le Maitre. The UK-based manufacturer, operating in the niche markets of pyrotechnics and smoke machines, has long been a leading innovator in the entertainment industry, and as the company celebrates its quarter century it is all set to hit the market once more with a piece of innovation which could revolutionize the way we put the haze into our lit environments.

Sales director Rick Wilson, very much the public face of Le Maitre, is as excited about the future as ever. An entrepreneur at heart, he is driven by the search for the next new thing, and PLASA 2002 will see an eagerly-anticipated prototype - code-named MaxiHaze - the result of three years of investment and development.

Le Maitre’s history of innovation is well documented. In pyrotechnics, Le M

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Hz International will use PLASA to launch its latest amplifier - the DPX15 Lite. This offers 750W per side into 4 ohms and features total short circuit protection with continuous clip limiting, achieved without compression. The amp has two speed fans so that when the going gets tough the amp gets cooler. Its weight has been reduced from 16 kilos to 8.5 kilos and its headroom - thanks to its extremely high damping factor - is almost twice that of the existing DPX1500.

Hz International can be found on J52.

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Plimsoll Publishing has launched a new website aimed at owners/managers in the UK sound equipment industry looking to make an acquisition or to sell their own company. This unique service from Plimsoll helps companies gain a better understanding of what their own company is worth and presents company names and analysis of what companies would be their best options for buying or selling.

"The idea for the website and the buying or selling service came from a great deal of interest we were receiving from companies keen to go on the acquisition trail. Yet they did not have a simple, cost effective means of assessing what companies to go after. I knew we could offer a real insight into specific companies in the industry our clients could target. Now, prior to calling in the professionals, owners can take a good look at the possibilities for themselves," says David Pattison, acqui

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The three-year old sound engineering division of Raper & Wayman Pro-Audio under Jon Raper's leadership has now grown to such an extent that it is time to fly solo. With projects under its belt as diverse as the acoustic control system at the Barbican Theatre, a complete sound reinforcement system for Norwich Cathedral, six radio stations in Sierra Leone and many other systems, the operation is to become a separate company to be known as R&W Sound Engineering.

Jon Raper will run the venture with Peter Kenny from R&W. Trading out of new premises in St Albans, they will continue to use their existing team of engineers and installation staff. Of the expansion, Raper says: "In such interesting times we have been very pleased with our success over three short years. Rodney Wayman and I feel the new company will further strengthen our focus on what we have become known for - good, reliab

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Mike Hanson has been named technical support manager for "all things Pig" at High End Systems' Los Angeles office. Hanson has been with the company for five years, joining after his stint on the lighting crew for Metallica's 1996-97 world tour. Besides his day-to-day support in the Van Nuys office, Hanson is involved with the ongoing Wholehog console training seminars, and helps out as programmer for a number of touring and television events.

John Wiseman, VP of worldwide sales for HES, commented: "In our ongoing commitment to excellence in technical support of the Flying Pig and High End Systems product lines, we're now expanding our service in the LA office to offer parts and accessories for all Pig products. Mike has been the go-to guy in our Los Angeles office for all things technical, and now he will support 'all things Pig' in his new role as technical support mana

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The White Light Group - and its ever-popular bar - returns to its usual position on stand F4, just inside the main door to the exhibition.

For many, the main attraction will be the welcome return of the White Light bar featuring White Light’s own beer plus a selection of other drinks and snacks. This year the bar will be theatrically lit using Anycolour colour-mixing fluorescent units from Anytronics. For those looking beyond the bar, examples of the many equipment ranges now distributed in the UK by White Light Sales will be on show. First amongst these will be examples of lanterns and followspots from the Robert Juliat range, which have found many new homes in the UK over the last 12 months. White Light Sales will also be showing smoke machines from Look Solutions and The Smoke Factory, while an on-stand computer will allow visitors to try Lx Store.com, White Light’s new

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Rolling Stones fans will get a taste of High End Systems products on the Stones’ ‘Licks’ World Tour 2002-2003, which kicks off Sept. 3 at the Fleet Center in Boston, Mass. Lighting designer Patrick Woodroffe, video designer Willie Williams and set/stage designer Mark Fisher teamed up to create the look for ‘Licks’, which will be scaled for three different sized venues from stadiums to arenas to theatres/nightclubs - all on one tour.

More than 40 shows in 27 cities are set so far for the U S and Canada, with Europe, Australia, the Far East and perhaps China for the first time in 2003. For this ambitious project, HES fixtures specified include 40 x.Spot HO (High Output) and 24 Studio Beam automated luninaires, run off the Flying Pig Systems Wholehog II console. VLPS is the general lighting contractor, while LSD/Fourth Phase is providing the HES and FPS gear.

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