Germany - Karl 'Charlie' Steinberg, one of the two founders of Steinberg Media Technologies, was honoured in the annual Music Industry Press Awards Ceremony with the Lifetime Achievement Award at Musikmesse 2009.

"We extend our warmest congratulations to Charlie," comments Andreas Stelling, Steinberg's general manager. "Steinberg, the audio industry in general and the musical community at large owe him a great deal. His vision for technologies that empower anyone with a computer to create and produce music at any level from bedroom studios to platinum-selling artists is still powering the endeavors of the company today.

"And that this award comes in Steinberg's 25th year is especially fitting. I think I speak for everyone at Steinberg when I say that we're al

UK - Stage Electrics launched its new range of LED screens at its Great Easter Switch On event, held in Bristol in a large outdoor marquee. The one- day launch event was attended by a cross section of those responsible for live events and was an opportunity to learn more about the screens and their capabilities.

In addition to the LED screens, the event included presentations by Jochem Feldberg, director of Ice World, on the benefits of temporary ice rinks, presentations on the SPLNet noise level monitor and the importance of health and safety at live events for organisers.

Stage Electrics installed a temporary mini ice rink at the event and invited guests to have a skate. After lunch and networking there was a chance for guests to speak to Stage Electrics' training experts and view website demonstrations.

(Jim Evans)

Germany - At this year's Prolight&Sound expo in Frankfurt, Italy's Outline staged the world debut of two new loudspeaker systems which attracted a great deal of interest in sound reinforcement circles at world level.

MANTAS is the most recent Vertical Line Array element designed by Outline. Thanks to the great experience acquired with Butterfly - a system with which it shares some fundamental components and characteristics - MANTAS promises leading edge performance from an extraordinarily compact light-weight cabinet.

The Lab 21 infra-sub features ingenious acoustic architecture (a hybrid waveguide and indirect radiation system) and is fitted with a 21" woofer. Two masses of air are moved by just one diaphragm. The fact that the sound is generated by the two masses of air being moved by a single diaphragm, with a great advantage for the attack velocity of the transitory f

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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

USA - Void Acoustics, designer and manufacturer of advanced professional audio systems for the installed and live sound markets, continues its dynamic growth by appointing industry veteran Ken DeLoria as VP Sales & Marketing, and launching Void Acoustics USA.

Ken brings his immense pro-audio experience to Void, and will also head up the company's US subsidiary, Void Acoustics USA, LLC, based in Portland, Oregon.The US subsidiary will serve The United States, Central and South America, Canada Mexico, while also acting as a liaison point for numerous other territories.

Alex Skan, managing director of Void Acoustics, commented: "Ken DeLoria agreeing to join our company marks a significant turning point in Void's evolution. The timing could not be more relevant, as we're experiencing a near-explosion in growth, across product development, sales and new-market penetration. Ken

Germany - Robe lighting enjoyed a very busy Frankfurt 2009, seeing more people than expected and experiencing considerable interest in its newly launched products - the Robin 3 Plasma Spot, the Robin 300E Spot and Wash fixtures and the REDMix 2Ÿ188 Outdoor LED wash light.

Robe's highly visual stand in was designed by Nathan Wan from the UK office, utilising a combination of Digital and RED (Robe Emitting Diodes) Series products as well as conventional moving lights.

The new Robin (Robe Innovative Concept) units together with the DigitalSpots attracted interest from all sectors of the industry. Visitors included a diverse cross section of design professionals, reflecting the generally upbeat vibe and genuine quality of the show.

Robe ran a separate demonstration area throughout the four show days to illustrate the new products to all wanting a closer and more in-depth look.

Germany / Korea - Kusan Acoustic co has taken over the exclusive distribution for Kling & Freitag in Korea.

"We are looking forward to offering our customers the best sounding audio solutions in the market. That's why Kling & Freitag is first choice and the Sequenza 10 has become a benchmark in the house of worship market," stated Ki- Man Kim, managing director of Kusan Acoustics.

The Koba Show from 26-29 May will be the first major event where Kusan will show Kling & Freitag's latest techology.

"Kusan Acoustic's focus on technical excellence in professional audio just impressed me. A passionate sales team that is prepared to serve the needs of audio pros in various market segments all over the country. We are glad to strengthen Kling & Freitag's position in Asia by teaming up with Kusan Acoustic," said Jurgen Freitag.

(Jim Evans)

UK - Powersoft has announced the appointment of CUK Audio as the UK mainland distributor for its range of professional audio products, effective immediately.

Established in 1995 and based in Firenze, Italy, Powersoft's range of digital amplifiers has expanded to provide bespoke solutions for cinemas, public address systems, touring acts, permanent installations and portable sound requirements. The company can count Clair Brothers, Audio Rent, ATK, and Maryland Sound Industries amongst its many users.

Glasgow-based CUK Audio was started by MD Stuart Thomson in 2005, and has grown rapidly since. It exclusively represents Audica Professional, Community Professional Loudspeakers, DIS Danish Interpretation Systems, Digigram, InOut Digital and MTSi Media Technology Systems in the UK. At PLASA 2008, CUK announced that it was expanding to distribute three further major international b

Germany - Budget-pleasing news came from Camco at ProLight&Sound, with the announcement that Camco will maintain 2008 prices this year for its best-selling Vortex and Tecton amplifier series.

Additionally, Camco Q-Power Series prices have been reduced. "To be able to offer these trend-reversing prices, we've tweaked the minimum quantity orders," explains Camco's Mick Anderson, "but, in this unpredictable economic climate, we need to be mindful of the pressures on our customers as well as the needs of our own manufacturing business."

Camco also introduced four new amplifiers in Frankfurt. One is an addition to the Q-Power Series -the new Q-Power 4, a 4 x 1000W four-channel amplifier which complements and builds on the existing Q-Power series. With Class H engine and matched specification, Camco now has a range of three Q-Power Series amplifiers, offering 4 x

UAE - JM Rental, one of Asia's largest LED display rental companies, was chosen to supply the ninth edition of the International Defence Exhibition & Conference (IDEX) with screen requirements for its opening ceremony on 22 February 2009.

IDEX, which took place in the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, is billed as one of the world's biggest exhibitions for the defence industry, featuring over 900 local and international exhibitors showcasing systems, equipment and services.

JM Rental already has an enviable reputation within Asia and now has major plans to expand its offering across the entire Middle East arena.

"The IDEX opening ceremony was the first time we have had the opportunity to support an event in the Middle East," says JM Rental operations director Kenneth Yip. "This is one of the biggest exhibitions in the region, if not the world, and demonstr

UK - The New Testament of God Church in Willesden commissioned SA Sound Services to handle the audio element of an extensive refurbishment, triggered by the installation of a new wraparound balcony seating around 200 people.

"With a full AV and sound upgrade to carry out, we took the opportunity to put in all the cables at the same time," recalls Steve Ashley, "all the video cables, and runs of analogue and digital cables for the PA system, all under the floor." Ashley's quote covered both an analogue and a digital control option, but once the building refurb was underway, "it became clear that they would need to buy a new digital mixer."

SA Sound was already running a RSS M-400 in its hire stock, supplied by Paul Nicholson at Midas Sound Services, so was able to recommend its capabilities with some enthusiasm. "The processing power in this s

UK - With just two weeks to go until PLASA Focus - Leeds organiser PLASA Events Ltd reports that over 1800 visitors have now pre-registered for the event. With research showing that 70% of these visitors tend not to visit other trade shows, this promises to deliver a promising new audience to the show's 100 exhibitors.

PLASA Events Ltd also reports that response to the Seminar programme has been "fantastic", with some seminars currently nearing capacity. All the seminars are free, and include sessions presented by the ABTT, ISCE, PLASA and The Theatres Trust. Subjects covered will include the BBC - Media City UK, Advice for Freelancers, the BS8901 standard for sustainable events management and information which will demystify some of the myths for the use of PPE for working at height.

To register for the event, please visit the website address given below. Reg

UK - With two leading characters cast via a primetime reality television show, audience expectations of the new West End production of musical Oliver! were high. But with three Yamaha digital consoles and a DME64N digital mix engine at front of house, sound designer Paul Groothuis and his associate John Owens have made sure that nobody will be disappointed.

Groothuis has been specifying Yamaha digital consoles since he first used two linked Promix 01 mixers (then just-launched) on A Little Night Music at the National Theatre in 1995.

"One of the big advantages I have found with Yamaha's digital consoles is that they have always made the user interface very intuitive, which gives a great sense of security," he says. "Some digital desks also have a particular switch on routine which you have to follow. With Yamaha you just switch on and off you go, t

USA - North Davis Church of Christ in Arlington recently replaced its loudspeaker system with three Renkus-Heinz Iconyx digitally steerable arrays in a configuration designed to complement the church's new video screens as the first stage of a complete sanctuary renovation.

The church's congregation has grown continually since its foundation on a vacant lot in 1907, but a capella vocal music continues to be a strong part of its tradition. Minister of Music and Worship D. J. Bulls, a prominent arranger whose choral and worship arrangements are sung in churches across the country, directs the praise teams and the Celebration Choir, and also coordinates media for worship assemblies.

Taipale Media Systems (TMS) designed the new systems. Principal consultant Curt Taipale, who measured the highly reverberant room, says: "This is a 1000 seat, 220 degree-wide fan-shaped auditoriu

USA - Tomcat is introducing a new product line of truss, Core. This product line initially consists of 12" X 12", 12" X 18", and 20.5" X 20.5" box truss. The focus behind the line was to develop a stronger, slightly lighter and ultimately less expensive box truss based on market demands.

"With so many customers being hit hard by the economy as well as other demands, we set out to develop a less expensive product," stated general manager, Stefano Rosellini. "What we discovered in the process was that we could also make the product 24% stronger - adding a great deal more value for the customer."

The first offering in the product range is Core 12. Tomcat has essentially taken the conventional 12" X 12" light duty box truss and modified the components to provide a more efficient truss - at a more efficient price. At only

UK - Spaceworks Furniture Hire has incorporated cutting edge LED technology into its range of 'Glo Furniture' which can change colour to create a different atmosphere and ambiance in any setting.

The range consists of a colour changing bars and high tables and has the distinct advantage of being battery operated with LED chargeable lights, therefore eliminating the need for power supplies, cables and electricians. This increases its usability, reduces any health and safety risks and does not incur any additional costs such as electricians. When fully charged they can run for up to 16 hours and feature a range of programme settings from one block colour through to continuous colour phasing which can be switched between using a remote control.

Spaceworks launched the range at RSVP where they exhibited and supplied it for the Top Deck area where entertainment was held throughout

UK - In February of this year, Stage Technologies installed equipment and provided programming advice and operator training at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, boosting both its technical coaching repertoire and its automation capability for productions. The equipment parcel comprised a Nomad control console, a touring control system and two BigTow Classic winches.

This season, the Bristol Old Vic Theatre Royal reopened with Romeo and Juliet, which features two moving floor tracks. Another school production of The Man of Mode, at the Circomedia St Paul's venue, utilises a BigTow winch for a flying chandelier.

The school provides practical industry-focused training for careers across the arts and entertainment sector. With as many production students as it has actors, its courses focus on the major management, technical and craft skills required for employment

Germany - ETC reports that its products proved popular at this year's ProLight&Sound, where it exhibited its products on its dealers' stands.

ETC's range of lighting, dimming and controls were demonstrated on a number of different stands at the show, with one so busy that visitors overflowed into the walkways on several occasions. Top of people's 'must-see' list was the Eos and Ion control desks and the new Paradigm architectural control system, says the company.

As well as offering demonstrations and advice, ETC staff were on hand to book people into free training sessions at the company's offices in Holzkirchen and London. The sessions, which are held regularly in both places, cover basic and advanced control desk use.

(Jim Evans)

USA - Synthe FX has announced the immediate availability of Luminair 1.5 for iPhone and iPod touch. This new version adds over 20 new major features and enhancements which make Luminair "the ultimate wireless DMX tool for lighting professionals".

Luminair allows users to control, view and manage intelligent DMX lighting fixtures and consoles, directly from an iPhone or iPod touch using the Art-Net protocol over a Wi-Fi connection. It can be used for a wide variety of tasks such as the ultimate remote focus tool, for advanced architectural lighting, by lighting technicians bench-testing fixtures, controlling intensities on set, or simply as the centrepiece of an intelligent lighting rig.

New in version 1.5, users can now create Quick-Touch cues, which provide easy touch based scene triggering. Each Quick-Touch cue has an individual fade time, which can smoothly and s

UK - AV distribution company, PSCo has commissioned the development of a new vehicle to reduce the delivery cost of its 103" plasma and 108" LCD screens for temporary and permanent installations.

Specialists in large format display products, PSCo's portfolio includes the world's largest plasma screen the Panasonic 103" and the world's largest LCD the Sharp 108".

The specially designed vehicle has a pneumatic air suspension system that lowers the tail to less than 30cm and a winch that ensures the screens are safe and secure when loading and unloading. Together they reduce time and manpower required to manoeuvre the screens.

Stuart Holmes, PSCo managing director said, "We are delighted to be able to save money for our customers and at the same time improve the service we offer. Our new vehicle benefits both our sales and rental clients by reducing cos

USA - LEDtronics has introduced its latest generation of PAR20-style LED spotlight bulbs with a maximum power draw of less than 6 watts. These direct screw-in, incandescent-replacement bulbs combine advanced Light Emitting Diode (LED) technologies, standard 26mm Edison screw bases and light-optimizing designs to produce vivid, narrow-beam light. The PAR20-6W LED bulbs are available in two light-emitting angles - 20° and 40°- and run on a voltage range of 100V to 260V AC current, and thus can be used almost anywhere in the world, says the company.

The PAR20 LED bulbs measure 3.2" long and have a 2.42" diameter, making them suitable for small spotlighting tasks, artwork accenting, cabinet and signage lighting, as well as industrial, medical and security illumination. With a maximum energy consumption of 6 watts, savings of up to 85% quickly add up over the standa

UK - Hailed by the World Wildlife Fund as "the world's first global election", Earth Hour took place on the evening of 28 March 2009. To show concern for global warming, individuals and major organisations around the world were encouraged to vote 'Earth' by switching lights off for one hour, or vote 'Global Warming' by leaving lights on.

The aim is to collect one billion votes for 'Earth' and present the results of the election to world leaders at the 2009 Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, the outcome of which will replace the Kyoto Protocol.

"We have a great concern for the environment at Artistic Licence and wanted to show our support by teaming up with some of our customers who share our concern about the threat global warming is imposing on us," says Artistic Licence managing director, Wayne Howell.

Broadgate Estate, founder members of t

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