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USA - St. Philip Neri Church in Northport on the north shore of Long Island has had a re-fit after parishioners were found to have a difficult time understanding speech during services.

Acoustical consultant Rich Riedel was called in and listened to the members of the congregation, the church's music ministry and parish leaders, and attended many services at St. Philip Neri. It was clear that a solution would require both an improved sound system and acoustical treatment. "The old speaker system consisted of wall mounted speakers along the side walls," he recalls. "The locations were not bad, but the speakers themselves were too low and as a result were aimed almost directly across the space instead of pointing down toward the congregation. As you'd expect, there wa

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UK - Surrey-based Marquee Installations is pleased to announce the appointment of Rob Whitaker as senior project manager. Whitaker's responsibility will be wide ranging across all applications of installed audio, from paging, BGM and distributed audio and video, through to FOH PA.

Well known in the industry, Whitaker began his pro audio career straight from school, starting with a 3-year Sound and Production BTEC course in Birmingham. Following experience in music retail and studio recording, Whitaker joined a major leisure group as stage crew; leaving as group technical manager 8-years later. He then spent a period working in theatre and live venues before moving into project management.

"Finding people like Rob, with such a well balanced combination of hands-on and management experience across a wide range of applications is rare", comments Marquee Installations MD

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Italy - FBT's best-selling MaxX series has been popular in the portable PA market for almost a decade. Now the company has expanded the new HiMaxX series, which it describes as "the most advanced professional powered polypropylene moulded speaker systems", adding to the HiMaxX 40a (12"/2-way biamp configuration), the new HiMaxX 60a (15"/2-way biamp configuration) and the HiMaxX 100Sa (18" Band-Pass active dedicated subwoofer).

Features of the new products include bigger neodymium magnet woofers (designed by FBT, made by B&C) for improved efficiency; A ventilation circuit granting 2dB reduction of power compression; An extra-rigid cone for better suspension linearity and less distortion; Shorting copper cap for extended and clear HF response (B&C compression drivers); Switch mode power supply for lighter weight and faster current delivery; and PWM technol

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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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UK - With many lighting designers already giving their support, the second annual Light Relief Day, which this year takes place on Thursday April 24, looks set to top the £5000 raised in 2007.

Already pledging to donate their royalties for April 24 to Light Relief are the lighting designers of many shows, including a couple of overseas productions: Paule Constable, The City at Royal Court Theatre, Chris Davey, (no specific show); Rick Fisher, Billy Elliot UK and Australia; Rob Halliday, Equus UK tour and My Fair Lady US tour; Paul Pyant, Lord of the Rings; Malcolm Rippeth, Brief Encounter; Ian Scott, 39 Steps; Kevin Sleep, Woman in Black, James Whiteside for The Wedding Singer tour and Never Forget, donated in advance of its West End premiere in May; and Willie Williams, We Will Rock You, UK and French and Saunders Live Tour. Thanks to all these for their early commitment

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Germany - The new Dynacord Variline range delivers state of the art acoustic performance and multi-functional hardware accessories for permanent install and mobile applications, say the company. The VL 62 full range cabinet (150W RMS & 122 dB max SPL) features a neodymium 6.5" woofer and a 1" compression driver mounted to a CAD-optimised 90x40 rotatable horn for high SPL applications where minimal footprint is a maximum concern.

VL 62's unique 16Ohm operation allows up to eight cabinets to be connected in parallel to any Dynacord amplifier, allowing large-distributed systems for high-end retail and entertainment environments to be realized efficiently. Coupled with Dynacord Power-H remote control DSP amplifiers, FIR presets optimize performance, resulting in linear-phase and equal magnitude response over the operating bandwidth of 90Hz-20kHz.

(Claire Beeson)

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Indonesia - Based in the Capital of Indonesia, the charismatic GBI (Gereja Bethel Indonesia) Church has a vigorous 10-year history, growing in typical fashion from a small but committed inspirational movement to its current widespread congregation and some 3,500 churches.

Led by Senior Pastor Dr Janto Simkoputera, GBI has recently opened up a new church in the MGK Mall in downtown Jakarta, a move prompted by the need to accommodate its ever-growing community. "The new church is a great facility for us," said GBI's head of sound Handri Nathanael. "The church is on two levels on the 9th and 10th floor of the Mall, each approximately 3,300sq.m and for a big service on just the 10th floor we can accommodate 3,200 people, so we have space to grow."The new church opened towards the end of 2007 followed by a special service in December, "Dr Janto invited severa

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UK - London-based theatre consultancy Theatreplan has to fit its latest project, at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre, around the theatre's commitments to the World Snooker Championship. The Crucible is the main producing house in the Sheffield Theatres Complex (which also comprises the Lyceum Theatre and The Studio), and is well respected for its theatrical performances as well as the annual televised snooker championships.

Built in 1971 and seating 980 in a thrust-stage configuration, the theatre has just completed the first phase of its current refurbishment project - to replace the stage with a versatile system that allows the stage level to be easily and safely changed for different functions, including the forthcoming snooker championship.

Theatreplan's Clive Odom says: "The stage system was developed using Steeldeck Easydeck platforms which are the 'industry standard' s

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Canada - A pair of Renkus-Heinz Iconyx IC32 Digitally Steerable Array loudspeakers has achieved what until recently seemed an impossible solution at the cavernous St. Cunégonde church, one of Montreal's hidden treasures.

The embossed stone church, built in 1906 and painstakingly restored in 1984 by a Catholic Korean community under the supervision of architect Claude Beaulieu, suffered poor intelligibility from a series of full-range two-way loudspeakers mounted on the side walls at a height of 15ft, where the high frequencies were projected directly onto hard reflective surfaces, and the low frequency energy was completely uncontrolled, further degrading speech intelligibility.

In 2006 the congregation of St. Cunégonde contacted Siscom of Montréal for advice on improving the situation. With over a million cubic feet of internal volume enclosed by plaster,

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UK - PEL Music & Media has installed a comprehensive professional sound system into the new Playboy London Flagship Store on Oxford Street.

Opened in September 2007, the 4,000sq.ft Playboy Store is Playboy Enterprises Inc's first freestanding retail location in Europe. From the moment that visitors walk through the sliding glass-façade doors etched with the iconic Rabbit Head logo, the Playboy London Flagship Store offers a unique shopping experience. Part of that experience is the powerful sound system, designed and installed by PEL Music & Media.

As a leading Bose Pro-Partner, PEL based the design of the sound system around a Bose Professional System, featuring latest Bose ceiling speakers. The result is a sensitively installed, comprehensive and flexible sound system. Each of the three floors can have their own music playing to reflect the ambience of the floor and the pro

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Australia - With a wide selection of performance venues, theatres, and the historic Sydney Opera House vying for the public's attention, the caliber of even the smaller theatres in Sydney, Australia tends to be exceptionally high.

The Glen Street Theatre, a 400-seat, multipurpose proscenium arch auditorium located in suburban Belrose in Sydney's Northern Beaches area, is one such small theatre. The Glen Street Theatre presents a range of theatrical productions from Australia's leading performing arts companies, as well as concerts, children's theatre, and other events. Now, more than 20 years after its curtain first rose, the Glen Street Theatre shines even brighter due to an extensive refurbishment that included a new Meyer Sound system provided by Alexandria, New South Wales-based Coda Audio Services Pty Ltd.

The main system employs four UPJ-1P VariO loudspeakers: one on eit

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UK - Northern Light has today announced the culmination of over a year's worth of heavy investment within the hire and events departments.

Colin Cuthbert, managing director of Northern Light, said: "Since early in 2007 Northern Light has invested over a quarter of a million pounds and hundreds of hours of staff time in improving our hire and events departments. The ethos behind this programme of continuous improvement stemmed from an upturn in business for our hire department and our successful expansion into technical event production."

Investment has been spread over various areas of the business, covering equipment, staffing, training and process management. Increased business has meant employing further experts for the team. Northern Light is delighted to welcome Al Dalgarno as hire operations manager, Galo Dominguez and Jon Pike as technicians, Marcin Buczek as

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UK - Long and frequent excessive noise exposure whether from music or machinery can cause gradual damage to the ear that leads to increasing deafness, reduced clarity, tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and even changed perception of the level and pitch of sound.

For years musicians have been experiencing deafness and hearing problems, especially those with a career playing loud instruments such as brass and percussion. Increasing levels of amplified music have extended these risks to more musicians and workers in entertainment venues. Musicians risk permanent damage that can seriously interfere with their ability to play.

Across Europe EU Directives and national legislation have required employers to protect their workers from noise. Stricter regulations came into force in 2006, but workers in music and entertainment have been allowed to work under the older, less restricted regu

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Spain - Sonorde S.L., one of the premier equipment sales and rental companies of professional audio and lighting in Galicia in north-western Spain, has recently invested in an Sy48 Pro FX digital console package from InnovaSon. The console was supplied by InnovaSon's recently-appointed Spanish distributor, Doscientos Veinte Sonido SL, also referred to as Doviente.

According to Dosviente CEO Jose Maria Mendez, who has a long-standing relationship with Sonorde, the company had been considering the purchase of a digital console for a while, and were delighted when Dosviente took over distribution of InnovaSon. "It was perfect timing for all concerned," noted Mendez. "I knew that Sonorde were looking for something, and now I had the ideal product to show them!"

"Sonorde is a company that prides itself on the quality of both their equipment and service, and

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This week's news included the deal that never was: the proposed TC Group / Gibson Guitar merger that had the industry talking at the end of January this year finally turned out to be a non-starter, as both parties agreed to end talks and go their separate ways.

Arriving with little fanfare, the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 now applies to employers involved in the provision of live or recorded music in restaurants, bars, nightclubs etc, following a two-year period of grace, which expired on 6 April.

Employers are now responsible for protecting their employees' hearing. And that's not all on the legislation front - employers are now also faced with the Corporate Manslaughter Act, which also came into force on 6 April. Bosses are now responsible if their company's negligence results in death in the workplace. The message is this: review your business procedures now, to make

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USA - As an engineer, Randy Faustino has worked on a huge number of shows, including the Academy of Country Music Awards, the Golden Globe Awards, Whose Line Is It Anyway, and many others. In 2007, he formed Creative Sound Solutions with King and Gerald 'Butch' McKarge to provide high-calibre music mixing services for the television industry. The company has since mixed American Idol and a host of Idol-inspired shows, including The Next Great American Band, Rock Star, and, most recently, MTV's new show, Rock The Cradle.

Ever since Sennheiser introduced the MK 5235 dynamic capsule for their "top-of-the-range" SKM 5200 handheld wireless microphone system, Faustino has used it wherever possible because of its transparency, reliability, and ease of mixing, say the company. At Faustino's request, all American Idol contestants

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India - Born last year was the cooperation which allowed Powersoft to start distributing in India thanks to new partner R.K. International.

Owner Arun Kalra, thanks to his experience of distributing well known brands such as Martin Audio and Dolby in the Indian Pro-Audio industry, had the chance to introduce Powersoft to the Pro Audio Indian Market.

The result of this "perfect marriage" appeared in the realisation of some of the most luxury venues of New Delhi, say the company.

A company statement says: "Some of the environments where Powersoft amplifiers could power Martin Audio cabinets with great results in sound quality, we could list Castle Night Restaurant,Indo-Chine Lounge Bar, Kuki Club and Chili House Pub, all of them located in New Delhi."

Powersoft had the chance to start being included in such luxury entertainment venues thanks to its high q

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USA - Taking a leadership role in bringing together people who design and build theatre spaces, J. R. Clancy, Inc., is a Silver Sponsor of the 2008 North American Theatre, Engineering and Architecture Conference (NATEAC). The conference is scheduled for Sunday, July 20 and Monday, July 21 in New York City.

Directed by Bill Sapsis of Sapsis Rigging, NATEAC will take place at the Michael Schimmel Center for the Arts at Pace University in downtown Manhattan. Tom Young, vice-president of marketing for J. R. Clancy, serves on the NATEAC advisory board and understands the importance of establishing a dialogue between architects, consultants, engineers and manufacturers who build new theatres and renovate existing performance spaces.

"Theatre design and construction have become more complex than ever, with the onset of digital technology, automated control systems and dynamic ne

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USA - Budget-conscious schools, churches and other facilities often require high quality sound systems for speeches, ceremonies, shows and audio-visual presentations. These frequently take place before large audiences in multi-room facilities, where a separate sound system is required for each location. For example, an outdoor amphitheatre might require one sound system, while an auditorium may seek further sound reinforcement and the gym a third PA requirement still.

While classrooms and conference rooms have ever-increasing demands for sound equipment, permanent, installed sound systems for each of these locations would be cost prohibitive in most instances; however, one or two shared portable systems could provide a solution at an affordable price.

In recent years, portable sound system technology has evolved to provide a serious alternative to installed sound systems. In m

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Hong Kong - Having won the first four tournaments of the 2008 International Rugby Board (IRB) Sevens World Series, the famously black-clad New Zealand team were the hot favourite to complete a fifth tournament victory at the Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens.

2008 was the fourth year in succession for Lighthouse being chosen as the official LED screen supplier for the event, providing its R16i/o-II 16mm LED screens in the official Sevens Village and the North Stand of the Hong Kong Stadium.

The stadium screen comprised 7 x 7 panels (7.11m x 5.33m) while the Sevens Village screen measured 7 x 6 panels (7.11m x 4.57m), both being controlled with Lighthouse LIP-KX units. Located adjacent to the main stadium, the Sevens Village is a complimentary venue where rugby fans can relax and watch the live rugby on the LED screen. Those who are unable to obtain tickets to the s

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China - Tico Digital has selected Vieta's Do Line loudspeakers in response to the requirements of Guangxi's Wangzuo Club for a high-quality audio system of elegant design, say the company. Wangzuo Club in Nanning city is a prestigious venue attracting leading business men and women. Spread over three floors, the club extends to some 3000sq.m, and includes 32 VIP rooms.

The luxurious furnishings and décor of the best private rooms demanded a quality aesthetic from its electronic fittings. Spanish manufacturer VIETA's DO Series loudspeakers were chosen because of the high audio specification suitable for background music and karaoke use, but also because of the attractive cabinet design, available in a white finish to complement the décor.Each room fitted with Vieta has the same system, using 2x Do-8 cabinets and a Do-5. Do-8s are an ideal model for use in such a hig

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China - China's Shenzhen Poly Theatre, which took 3 years to complete, is an architectural masterpiece and the pride of the city. It can hold all kinds of entertainment including: operas, plays, symphonies, ballets, concerts, lectures and the like.

Rightway Audio Consultants, L-Acoustics distributor in China, has been in charge of the installation, and the installed L-Acoustics system consists of 14 ARCS - 4 SB218 - 8 dV-DOSC - 1 dV-SUB - 33 MTD Coaxials - 4 x 115XT HiQ - 32 x 8XT. The whole system is driven by LA8 and LA4 amplified controllers, providing an advanced and precise system drive and protection.

Inside the Theatre, more than 1,500 seats on three terraces and eight balconies overlook the 1,700-sq.m central stage. The acoustic reflector that covers the stage works with the canopy and walls to provide perfect sound effects. "The sound of tearing a piece of paper

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