Details
UK - The PLASA Show has seen the launch by ETC of the latest generation of its IES Matrix sine wave dimming system, in which dimmers of different ratings and dimming techniques can be mixed in the same installation.

The company's its IES Matrix Mk II, with just 44mm additional headroom, is one of the most flexible systems available, with a wide choice of channel ratings and module options, plus higher density and improved efficiency.

The extra 44mm has enabled ETC to increase the density of the rack up to 180 dimmer channels and provide the highest sine wave dimming density around. With space for up to six dimming channels per module, Matrix Mk II is customisable with up to 180 x 3kW or 90 x 5kW dimmers per rack. Sine wave modules are available as 4 x 3kW, 4 x 5kW and 1 x 10kW,

Details
UK - PLASA 2005 was the setting for a trio of major sales orders by the Holland-based sister lighting rental companies Flashlight and Metam, announced late on Tuesday afternoon.The two companies confirmed the joint purchase of substantial quantities of the latest products from VARI*LITE, Xilver and Syncrolite.

100 units of the newly-announced VARI*LITE VL500 wash luminaire, the updated version of the classic VL5, will be delivered to Flashlight's Utrecht headquarters. Commercial director Jacco van Pel told LSI: "We already had the complete VARI*LITE product range in our rental stock, but there was a hole where the VL5 used to be. Lighting designers loved it and we've talked to VARI*LITE a lot about for the past two years, so needless to say we're absolutely delighted that the VL500 is here and that we can offer it to our rental clients."

100 of Xilver's brand-new Xol

Details
UK - UK based performance video specialists Picture Works used PLASA to show off its latest LED screen, video projector, camera and production technologies. Founder and MD Robbie Wealleans said the show had been "very successful" for the company, adding "It has been an amazing year for us so far".

On show was the brightest video projector on the market, the 25,000 ANSI lumen Christie Roadie, currently on tour in the USA with Coldplay. It featured during the band's headline slot at Glastonbury where, the following day and on the second stage, Picture Works deployed what Wealleans describes as the "largest LED screen ever seen in the UK" for DJ Fatboy Slim's set. The production included a 3D effect achieved by issuing the audience with 3D glasses. Part of the screen also featured on the company's PLASA stand, demonstrating Picture Works' purchase of 1

featured content

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

Details
UK - Color Kinetics has announced the appointment of Connie Weaver to its board of advisors. A highly-regarded branding and marketing expert, Ms. Weaver is executive vice president and chief marketing officer of BearingPoint, one of the world's largest management and technology consulting firms.

Ms. Weaver's extensive experience includes leadership positions at some of the world's most well-known technology, telecom and information companies. Prior to joining BearingPoint, she served as executive vice president of public relations, marketing and brand at AT&T, where she was a member of the executive leadership team.

"Connie brings tremendous value to our board of advisors with impressive expertise in the critical areas of marketing, branding, investor relations and communications for established, blue chip companies," said Bill Sims, President and CEO, Color Kinetics

Details
UK - Midas and Klark Teknik have launched Midas Consoles Middle East in conjunction with Nicholas Kyvernitis, owner of NMK Electronics. NMK was one of the first pro audio companies to be established in the region and is a long-term dealer of Midas and Klark Teknik products. From October, Midas Consoles Middle East will become the official distribution channel for Midas and Klark Teknik products throughout the region, with a head office in Dubai as well as branches in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.

The move to develop a structure to concentrate exclusively on Midas and Klark Teknik follows the success of Midas Consoles Holland, set up in 2004. "This proved to us that customers like being able to deal directly with the factory," says Midas sales and marketing director David Cooper. "It increases their confidence in the brand, and from our point of view we get much better in

Details
UK - AV rental and 'advanced product sales specialists' PSCo launched its new FogScreen AV product at PLASA 2005. The system, which enables mid-air image projection, is distributed exclusively in the UK by PSCo.

FogScreen creates a dry fog, using ordinary water, to produce a seamless projection area that's viewable on both sides. It can also be used in interactive mode, enabling viewers to use their bare hands as a mouse to write or draw in the air and use the fog as a touch screen.

It has so far been used to create walk-through advertisements, AV features for presentations and walk-through entrances for shops and exhibitions.

The product joins the M-PDP seamless plasma display, launched in the summer.

(Mike Lethby)

Details
UK - Specialist event branding company Sunbaba has been exhibiting its range of bespoke banners, screens and other branding materials at the PLASA Show.

The company, which began working in the events industry in 1997, followed on from its successful launch at PLASA 2004 of its DigiSound fabric and reported a busy summer season during which it supplied material to the Fifth Test Match at the Oval, as well as all of the Gcap Radio Party In the Park events.

The latter shows featured DigiSound fabric as PA scrims and PVC banners and stage décor. DigiSound fabric is design to take digital printing while its wide mesh minimises sound degradation when used in front of a PA system.

(Mike Lethby)

Details
UK - Digital mixing for live sound applications took further significant steps forward at PLASA 2005 with a number of new products and technologies unveiled, news of leading players working together and confirmation of further developments coming to fruition over the winter months.

Allen & Heath has entered the digital mixer domain with the launch of the iLive digital mixing console system. Developed for live sound applications, iLive's 'ground up' design features a flexible architecture with large-scale audio distribution and control. iLive is designed "to bring an analogue feel to digital mixing and draws on the company's extensive experience in live sound and digital technology".

The heart of the system is the iDR-64, a 19" rack-mounting modular mix engine providing 64 channels into 32 mixes, which can be assigned as auxes, groups, matrix and main outputs. Th

Details
UK - Newly formed pro audio distributor Amber Sound exhibited at PLASA 2005 - the first tradeshow for the fledgling company, formed in May this year by Graham Paddon.

A variety of products were on show, including Aviom's personal monitor and digital snake system, available exclusively through Amber Sound in the UK. Other brands demonstrated included Clear-Com, Meyer Sound, Lexicon and K & M.

Amber Sound's first trading quarter has been a noteworthy one including the sale of a complete Clear-Com FreeSpeak system to one of Europe's largest scientific research centres, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, as well as a Party line system to UK defence and security company QinetiQ. The company has also supplied classical and contemporary music rental specialist, RNSS with an Australian Monitor paging system for installation in London's Royal Festival Halls.

Meanwhile the capital's cele

Details
UK - Following the January 2005 launch of Harman Pro Group's HiQnet communications protocol for professional audio systems, the Group introduced at PLASA 2005, HiQnet System Architect configuration and control software for HiQnet audio systems.

HiQnet System Architect is a Windows-based application that provides audio professionals with an intuitive, unified platform for system design and operation of all audio devices in the signal chain from microphone to speaker'.

HiQnet System Architect has been developed in close cooperation with audio professionals to provide an intuitive, robust front-end to the industry's most sophisticated, highest performing audio system, explained Rick Kreifeldt, vice president, Harman Pro Group, system development and integration group. System Architect is versatile and eminently configurable to needs and applications of audio professionals in a va

Details
UK - Digidesign hosted a press reception during this week's PLASA Show in London to thank customers for giving their Venue live sound environment such an auspicious first year out in the field. Helping them were some familiar sound engineers on the touring circuit, including Robbie Allen (Manic Street Preachers), Matt West (monitors, The Cure) and Simon Honywill, the guiding hand at the desk behind a thousand large-scale spectaculars.

It also gave them the opportunity to swap road tales with Digidesign's own resident sound technicians, Robert Scovil and Ian Nelson, who have worked with some of the world's top bands.During the conference Digidesign VP of sales and marketing, Christopher Bock, talked of the company's achievements during the year, and Venue's high profile appearance at events such as Live8 in Paris, the Montreux Jazz Festival, and supporting acts such as Nine Inch

Details
UK - Essential Lighting has announced its acquisition of trade hire specialists, Lighting Hire Ltd. Lighting Hire's team have been integrated with Essential Lighting's rental operations to provide an enhanced service, specifically for the lighting industry. The combined rental stocks of the companies now include an expanded range of generic and intelligent lighting equipment for rental.

Martin Lubach, technical director of Essential Lighting, takes overall responsibility for trade hire. His team consists of James Rose, Dave Charters, and will shortly be joined by a further member. Pete Barford, previously general manager of Lighting Hire, joins the board of Essential Lighting to take charge of business development.

Essential Lighting calls this "an excellent development", who are already well known and regarded within the lighting industry for their moving light rent

Details
UK - The PLASA Show closed on Wednesday this week after four successful days of business. The general feedback from exhibitors was very positive, with a number of exhibitors expressing their satisfaction at orders taken at the show.

PLASA Show director Nicky Rowland of Clarion Events told LSI Online that the organizing team had been very pleased with the levels of re-booking for next year's show - both from current and returning exhibitors - and also said that a number of entirely new exhibitors have booked up for PLASA 2006. "We've had extremely positive feedback," said Rowland. "It seems that a high level of business was conducted, with a number of companies even saying they had been overwhelmed by the orders being written at the show." One of these was Vari-Lite's European distributor, PRG Europe, where Philip Norfolk told PLASA Media the company had been

Details
UK - Martin Audio announced a number of new additions to its [product portfolio at PLASA 2005. On preview were the W8LMD and WMX, two versatile cabinets designed to further augment the established range of Martin Audio Line Array products. Also on debut at Earls Court was a new series of ceiling speakers.

The W8LMD is a mini, wide-dispersion vertically arrayable enclosure - designed to be used individually and in small quantities for short to medium throw (<30m) applications or as a downfill element for the W8LM. With its 20° vertical dispersion, fewer cabinets cover the same area as a conventional line array element, yet still benefit from the smooth, predictable coverage of a vertically-coupled system, says Martin.

The WMX is a compact, flown/groundstack sub-woofer featuring the company's Hybrid loading. Primarily intended for use with the W8LM, it shares the same cabinet w

Details
UK - Expanding on its Control Contractor line of installation speakers, JBL Professional introduced the Control 300 Series large format in-ceiling loudspeakers, including seven new models, at PLASA 2005. The line consists of six full-range point-source coax designs featuring 8" and 12" drivers, multiple power levels and transformer options, plus a 12" in-ceiling subwoofer.

Through the use of Constant Coverage waveguide design, claims JBL, the Control 300 models feature "exceptionally broadband pattern control, ensuring remarkably consistent sound throughout the listening space". The 8" model goes a step further with the addition of a 12" diameter waveguide, providing the pattern control of a 12" horn from an 8" driver.

The Control 300 models were designed to be easier to install than most large format ceiling speakers. The new EZ-Ra

Details
Ibiza - Pioneer reports a string of successes for its DJ products on the Mediterranean party island of Ibiza - a platform for the world's finest DJ talent. Clubbing lifestyle leaders are integrating the latest Pioneer equipment into their installations - including its "revolutionary" new digital 1000 series - the DJM-1000 mixer and EFX-1000 effects unit - and the world's first DVD/CD turntable - the DVJ-X1.

The DJM-1000 six-channel digital mixer (boasting an impressive three-band master isolator and choice of rotaries or faders) has been a breakthrough this year, say Pioneer. Installed at the party capitals of Cafe Mambo, Manumission, Pacha, and Space, the DJM-1000 seems to be the mixer of choice on the island. Providing a 24-bit/96kHz digital sampling rate and a 32-bit/96kHz digital sound processor, the DJM-1000 offers excellent connectivity and control, and can digit

Details
UK - Harman Pro UK has supplied Sound Division with an integrated audio solution including JBL speakers, BSS routing and processing, dbx zoning and Crown amplification for the impressive new Albannach venue in Trafalgar Square, one of London's most famous locations. The contemporary Scottish restaurant, bar, cocktail lounge and social space is top quality, independently-owned venture. Occupying a prime spot of London real estate, its breathtaking views include Nelson's column, the National Gallery and other historical landmarks. Albannach is at the very heart of the bustling and buzzing metropolis.

The venue is divided into three distinct areas - the bright and open main lounge bar on the ground floor as you walk in, featuring large windows, lots of natural light and the stunning urban views. The mezzanine restaurant area above the rear portion of main lounge bar is a cosier and

Details
USA - System Integration software developer D-Tools Inc has appointed Bill Johnson as director of business development. Johnson is charged with representing the interests of participating manufacturers in D-Tools' product database that populates their engineering and business management software suite.

D-Tools is the industry's leading provider of software solutions for audio/video and control system design, installation, job costing, project management and billing for designers and systems integrators for both residential and commercial applications.

"Johnson's role will be to develop programs that offer its manufacturer members of our Manufacturer Vantage Point program greater market visibility and measurable returns," said VP of sales and marketing, Matt Rubenstein. "He brings a good understanding of the unique issues manufacturers are most concerned with his

Details
USA - Biamp today announced that it has appointed Robert Yeager its new manufacturing and facilities manager. Yeager will oversee all manufacturing operations in Biamp's United States facilities. One of Yeager t's prime responsibilities will be to continue the process and production efficiencies and quality improvements that have been achieved over that last few years. Yeager will be located in the Beaverton office and will report directly to Ralph Lockhart.

"We've made significant progress in the last couple of years in upgrading our manufacturing facility and processes," said Lockhart, president, Biamp Systems. "We want this progress to continue in order to meet the demand for Biamp products. Given Roberts's impressive background and strong leadership abilities, we are certain that he is a good fit for this position."

A West Point Graduate, Yeager was the

Details
USA - Color Kinetics reports that the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts has issued an order dismissing the lawsuit filed by Super Vision International Inc against Color Kinetics alleging infringement of US Patent No. 4,962,687 (also known as 'the High End' or 'Belliveau' Patent). The Court determined that Super Vision was not the owner of the High End Patent and that it was, instead, simply a non-exclusive licensee, with no right to enforce the patent. The Court ruled that Super Vision's suit is to be dismissed, but did not exclude the possibility that Super Vision could at some point acquire rights from the patentee that might permit it to assert a claim in the future.

On March 4 last year Super Vision announced that it had acquired the patent from High End Systems, and the following day filed a lawsuit in the US District Court for the Middle District of Flori

Details
UK - Following the introduction of several key new products and a renewed focus on the pro audio chassis market, Celestion International reports dramatically increased OEM sales in this sector during the first quarter of this financial year. Growth was demonstrated across the full range of cast chassis product including FTR, ultra-low distortion ceramic magnet drivers and NTi, inverted neodymium speakers. Sales were increased by 85% in F1 2006 compared with the same period last year (F1 2005), say the company.

At the same time, volume sales of CDX compression drivers have seen a year-on-year sales increase of more than 70%, which Celestion says "demonstrates the success of a clear strategy that concentrates on providing the highest level of service for our existing customers, while further extending our customer base". OEM sales manager Kevin Shove said: "Developi

Page 1818 of 3465

Latest Issue. . .