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USA - Professional audio dealers Sound Productions (Dallas, TX) has invested in 13 PRO6 digital live performance systems from Midas - the first major purchase of the new system in the Americas.

"PRO6 extends the lineage of the great Midas analogue consoles heard on countless tours and installations," says Charles Kitch, president, Sound Productions, "and adds many of the unique digital features of the XL8 to the equation, all in a package that is priced within the reach of a lot of our customers. PRO6 is going to be a big hit in a very important price range; we're expecting a lot of interest from the church market in particular. It's comprehensive and truly groundbreaking."

"I knew this PRO6 was a winner the moment I saw - and heard - it at the launch event in Minneapolis," adds Jeff Humphrey, sales manager, Sound Productions. "Looking around

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UK - Surround microphone manufacturers SoundField has sold an additional digital DSF-2 microphone system and a DSF-3 digital 5.1 surround sound processor to satellite broadcaster Sky Sports. The systems are being used on their HD coverage of the currently on-going Rugby Union Guinness Premiership, which started in early October 2008.

The microphone and associated processor has been permanently installed in T16, the recently completed new HD OB vehicle owned by UK broadcast facilities company Telegenic, and will be used for coverage of all UK-based games during the championship.

"We've been transmitting HD pictures for Rugby Union for several years, but without 5.1 surround to match," says Sky's operations manager Keith Lane. "We wanted to upgrade the experience we were offering Sky Sports Rugby Union fans, and the SoundField system was the obvious choice, as it'

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Germany - Built at the Meyer-Werft shipyard for the US cruise line Celebrity Cruises, the Celebrity Solstice is 350m long by 36.8m wide and offers accommodation for 2,852 passengers in its 1,426 cabins.

FUNA Nachrichtentechnik of Emden installed four networked Dynacord ProMatrix 4000 systems that combine ELA (messaging/voice alarm/evacuation) with pro sound (recorded music).

The four ProMatrix 4000 systems boast a combined amplification power of over 53,00W. Over 350 loudspeaker lines to over 8,000 loudspeakers--including 350 Electro-Voice 309-8A (coaxial systems), 520 Electro-Voice EVID C4.2 (coaxial ceiling systems), 30 Electro-Voice EVID C8.2 (coaxial ceiling systems), and 70 Electro-Voice Sx80PIX--run the length and breadth of the ship, which also boasts 16 ProMatrix DPC keypanels, plus numerous other Electro-Voice loudspeaker systems across the various function roo

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UK - Stage Electrics provided a spectacular lighting display to illuminate the historic monuments of Ironbridge Gorge, birthplace of the industrial revolution. Stage Electrics lit a variety of World Heritage Site icons across the gorge including the Ironbridge, Bedlam Furnaces and Museum of the Gorge as part of the Cultural Olympiad 'open weekend' celebrations, and the World Heritage Site Festival.

The Ironbridge (built 1779) was illuminated to create a dynamic and constant cycle of colour and produce stunning reflections in the water below. The effect was created by using four 8Kw space cannons (EMF Technology), 24 Varilite VL2000 Wash lights (12 either side of the bridge), six City Colours and 16 outdoor Par64s.

An LED wall at the north end of the bridge displayed images of some of the lesser known local sites and public information messages. Subtle changes in colour were ac

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UK - XL Video has announced details of its new division XL Events which has been created by consolidating the corporate division of XL Video and AV specialists Show Support.

Located in both Bromsgrove and Hemel Hempstead, the operation will be headed up by Rich Rowley, assisted by an experienced and professional team of 23. XL Events has been established to offer the latest sound, lighting and AV technology drawing on the experience, resources and project management of the XL Video group of companies in the UK and Europe.

Rowley comments: "We have a vast pool of knowledge and creativity, plus access to a wide variety of equipment. As part of the XL Group of companies we have the resources to offer the most comprehensive and cost-effective packages and support involving everything from providing the technical infrastructure to the logistics of making an event happen effici

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USA - Outfitted with 12 expansive decks featuring a soaring Grand Lobby, Royal Court Theatre, numerous restaurants, lounges, a casino, and luxury in every corner that blends the plush qualities of British tradition with amenities of the modern age, Cunard's newest ocean liner, the Queen Victoria, carries passengers in grand style.

Currently cruising the Mediterranean and waters of Northern Europe on this, her maiden year of voyages, the ship also uses Shure's UHF-R wireless microphone systems in wide-ranging applications designed and installed by San Diego, California-based Nautilus Entertainment Design (NED).

"RF radio stability is vital to these systems," says NED's Alan Edwards. "As they move from the open sea to ports of call, it's imperative that the signals don't cut out or introduce null zones. Coverage has to be consistent, and automatic frequency

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USA - Residing at the University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School was established in 1881 as the world's first collegiate business school. Considered to be one of the most highly esteemed and influential institutions of its kind, the school has increasingly relied on technology in recent years, with sound reinforcement in the classroom coming to be the norm along with distance learning capabilities and high levels of networked connectivity.

Facing spectrum changes associated with the FCC's auction earlier this year of the 700 MHz band, Wharton - with a sizable amount of wireless systems operating in that spectrum -determined the time was right for a comprehensive upgrade. Malvern, Pennsylvania-based Cenero, LLC led the revitalization with a new wireless blueprint based around Shure UHF-R systems. Spanning buildings, including Huntsman Hall, Steinberg Hall, Dietrich Hall, Lauder-F

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China - Meyer Sound has confirmed the appointment of Shanghai MYC Technology Company as the exclusive distributor of Meyer Sound products in mainland China, Macao and Hong Kong. The recently incorporated MYC Technology will focus on expanding the growth of Meyer Sound's award-winning solutions and strengthening customer support in system applications.

"The MYC team not only shares Meyer Sound's passion to deliver the best listening experience to the audience," says Mike Cooper, international sales director of Meyer Sound. "They have demonstrated a keen understanding of our technology and have established an excellent reputation in the industry. Together with MYC and Karoly Molnar, Meyer Sound's recently appointed technical support director for the region, we look forward to establishing a closer working relationship with customers to build top-quality sound system

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Dubai - ChainMaster has just produced a BGV-C1 chain-hoist system comprising 56 chain hoists, a computer-based controller and a switching cabinet, for the ice rink in Dubai Mall.

The 500kg and 800kg chain hoists are equipped with absolute value encoders and the new ChainMaster load measurement system that has made it possible to reduce the overall height of the chain hoists by around 20 cm. The control and programming of the chain hoists is performed at a mobile computerised controller for installation work.

The recently opened Dubai Mall is part of the 20 billion dollar investment in downtown Burj Dubai that includes the world's highest building, the Burj Dubai. The Mall will accommodate over 1,200 businesses, 160 F&B outlets, attractions such as the Dubai Aquarium and the Discovery Centre, the largest jewellery market in the world, a Fashion Avenue and a 22-screen Cineplex.<

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UK - Rental companies Skan PA Hire and Wigwam Hire have both added to their L-Acoustics inventory, with Wigwam purchasing 32 x SB28 subwoofers and 24 x LA8 Amplified Controllers, and Skan acquiring 32 x SB28s and 60 x LA8s.

"I heard the new subs, thought they were great and bought some to replace some of our older stock, and at the same time thought we'd also dip our toes in the water with the new amps," says Wigwam's Chris Hill. The company has been using the new SB28s and LA8s on tours with Radiohead, Human League and Shane Ward.

Skan's Abby Llewellyn says: "We decided to buy the SB28s because of their cardioid capability and the fact they complimented and enhanced our existing L-Acoustics stock holding." Skan has been using the new subs and racks on the current REM European arena tour.

(Jim Evans)

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USA - Outdoor musical amphitheatre The MUNY (Municipal Opera Association of St. Louis) has acquired Robert Juliat followspots to complement seven distinct shows over eight weeks. The staff and crew at the outdoor musical venue (which seats approximately 11,000 people and has just completed its 90th season) wanted followspots with more punch than they had been getting for a 300ft throw from front of booth to front of stage (60ft deep and 90ft wide).

After deliberation, negotiation and comparison, three Lancelot 4000W and two Victor 1800W followspots were chosen. Lighting designer Mitch Dana states: "MUNY is a huge space so they need a lot more light onstage. The spots they'd been using didn't cut through."

Dana, along with fellow lighting designer David Lander, wanted to be able to have, for instance, a blue overlay and then a smaller spot in light pink. "If we p

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Korea - Hwaseong Cultural Festival is a five-day cultural festival held every October to celebrate Sowon Citizen's Day. It is staged annually in Hwaseong, the city built by King Jeongjo (22nd King of the Joseon Dynasty) as an act of filial devotion and as part of reform activities, and the 2008 edition of the Festival - the 45th - was held from 8-12 October.

Various events and festivities are held, including re-enactments of royal and popular life, events for the entire family, culinary tasting sessions and performances. The festival attracts a large number of Korean and foreign tourists every year.

The Butterfly system installed by Hebsiba Multimedia Group, Outline's sole distributor for the Korean market, consisted in total of 20 CDH 483 Hi-Packs, four CDL 1815 Low-Packs, and eight 218SP Subtechs. The rig was powered by T7 digital power amplifiers and Genius 26 DSP, also man

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UK - Formula Sound has moved premises after more than 20 years based at Bredbury, Stockport. While the move is only some eight miles to Oldham, there is also the opening of a new office in London.

Formula Sound's general manager Barry Penaligon said: "When we started looking at moving, it seemed there was an opportunity to not just move to another location but also open an office in the south to improve our coverage of the UK."

Formula Sound are one of the few professional audio companies still manufacturing in the UK and in the words of Barry Penaligon: "We remain committed to designing and manufacturing our products in the UK."

The new addresses are: Devon Mill Chapel Road, North End Road, Oldham OL8 4QH; Unit 23; Stadium Business Centre, Wembley, London, HA9 0AT. Tel: 0161 688 0020 and 0208 900 0947.

(Jim Evans)

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UK - One of the final components in an extensive technical refurbishment of the BBC's largest radio studio, the M-400 V-Mixing System from RSS by Roland has been installed in the broadcaster's famous Radio Theatre in London's Broadcasting House.

As part of a larger building programme, the Radio Theatre has been refurbished and fitted out for a wide range of audience shows, primarily but not exclusively output to radio, including light entertainment productions, comedy, Christmas specials and one-off events.

The venue for many historic recordings since the 1930s when it was known as the BBC Concert Hall, today the theatre's 312-seat auditorium has been equipped with extensive PA and lighting facilities, and includes an 80-track digital recording facility.

The RSS M-400 digital mixing system, which has been supplied by Total Audio Solutions, has the job of mixing the two PA sy

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Australia - Towards the end of last year, Queensland saw the rise of a new rental company with a big inventory. True Sound Productions in Ormeau (halfway between Brisbane and the Gold Coast) is able to cater for any requirements when it comes to production - whether for 50 people or 50,000.

Managing director David Thorndike has based his inventory on current industry trends. He wanted a point of difference to the other big companies in Queensland, so he opted for the HK Audio Cohedra and Cohedra Compact. Since they came onboard as an HK Partner, Thorndike has worked with other companies in the network and has started to build a strong client base.

Early this year David supplied some of the stages at the Queensland Future Music Festival. True Sound also helped BE Productions with the Newton's Playground Festival in Bathurst with the large HK Audio inventory they

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Finland - Celebrating its 100th anniversary last year, the Helsinki City Theatre organisation is a driving force in this city's vibrant cultural community. To commemorate the century milestone, the organisation's Helsingin Kaupunginteatteri theatre house unveiled a customised Meyer Sound system.

The 950-seat venue, which opened its doors in 1967, provided some interesting architectural challenges. As the theatre's Jyrki Sandell explains: "The room's original design was focused on spoken presentations, and the reverb time is fairly short. The audience area itself is quite wide, but not very deep. We tested a number of different configurations, and determined that a typical line array would not be the best solution for the space."

Instead, Sandell opted for a more innovative approach. The distributed system, provided by Espoo-based Studiotech Oy, is an A/B system in wh

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USA - D-Tools reports that Visimation Inc., a Seattle-based professional services company, has joined the D-Tools Certified Partner Programme. Visimation provides custom Visio shape development and integration with Microsoft Office applications Word, Excel, and SharePoint. The company is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner. In addition to custom services, Visimation's online store www.ShapeSource.com offers thousands of pre-made Visio shapes including network equipment and symbols for security and safety planning.

"We are very pleased to offer our customers the ability to become more productive with Visio through the customisation that Visimation can provide for special shapes, reports, and more," said Adam Stone, president and founder of D-Tools. "When our customers need something special related to Visio, Visimation is the go-to company that can deliver it."

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UK - Ward Steedsy Associates (WSA) in association with, Allen & Heath, Funktion One & Polar Audio are running a training Demo day on Monday 10 November 2008 at The Bongo Club, Holyrood Road, Edinburgh.

Le'on Philips, Allen & Heath's product manager will be giving a full training session on the iLive digital desk. Mark Bromfield from Polar Audio will be bringing a full range of Beyer Dynamic mics plus some XTZ , MC2 & ASL gear; the mics will be demo'ed on a live band.

John Newsham co-founder of Funktion One Research will also be in attendance, demonstrating various Funktion One Resolution products.

"This will be a great event to gets hands-on' experience for a range of fantastic products, and meet the people behind the products," said David Steedsy Stevenson.

(Jim Evans)

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Finland - Located in a recreational area of Tampere, Finland, the Naistenlahti Power Plant is using its lakeside position - and a lighting design featuring GE ConstantColor CMH ceramic metal halide lamps - to showcase a dramatic new look. The lighting design transforms this industrial structure into an attractive feature of the city and its waterfront nightscape.

The industrial architecture features simple geometric forms and lines without any decorative details. The lighting brings out the graphical form of the building, highlighting the key elements with colour. A programmable lighting system varies the appearance of the building to create a positive and dynamic message for the site, the building's architecture, the owner, and for the millions of people who pass the site each year during the long northern nights.

Lighting designers Roope Siiroinen, Arto Heiskanen and Heini Y

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UK - Leading entertainment lighting supplier White Light, the exclusive UK distributor for products from Australian lighting manufacturer LSC, has recently supplied one of LSC's Redback dimmer racks to the Tower of London as part of a new display of a scale model of the Tower itself.

Designed as a cost-effective, flexible, compact dimming system, Redback fits six 10amp digital dimmers into a 19" rack-mount pack that is available with a variety of output connectors.

With programmable minimum and maximum levels and dimmer curves for each channel, a soft-patch facility, and on-board support for five scenes with fade times, and for four chases with speed control, Redback is a great choice for controlling exhibition and display lighting, say the company.

At the Tower of London, the Redback is being used to run a new lighting scheme designed by Hansjörg Schmidt, lighting a l

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UK - Light Projects has worked closely with Kate Wilkins Lighting Designers to create and manufacture a dramatic lighting fitting for the Nandos Restaurant in Oxford.

The 'glass bottle wave' was conceived and designed by Kate Wilkins and uses Nandos' own sauce bottles to create a visual spectacle running along the entire length of the restaurant. This was backed up by smaller lighting fittings made from clusters of three or four bottles for individual tables.

The theme of the lighting was to complement architect Michaelis Boyd's scheme and to be clean, fresh, innovative and exciting - also with a strong emphasis on sustainability and recycling. This bold approach combines the creative and practical elements of lighting design and marries aesthetic flair with the use of LEDs for reduced energy consumption.

The showpiece uses warm white LEDs incorporated into specially-designe

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UK - Hadouken are currently touring with a range of Sennheiser microphones. Their front of house engineer is Darren Mullis, who has previously toured with Fightstar, Gallows, Funeral For A Friend, The Horrors and Just Jack.

"I've been using the Sennheiser e 945 vocal mic with almost all my bands," he explains. "I like its clear sound. Basically, I think they've got a better top and mid sound than their competition. Also, it's good looking for photo shoots. James [Smith, Hadouken vocalist] isn't what you'd call a pop singer. He's more of an MC. Before I switched him to the e 945, I was finding the mics he was using were getting muddy. It wasn't picking up everything I wanted and his vocal was getting lost. He also had the habit of smashing up microphones."

After meeting Sennheiser UK's Artist Relations Manager Phil Cummings at Glastonbury, Mullis also took d

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UK - This year's Reproduced Sound Conference and Exhibition takes place 20-21 November at the Brighton Old Ship Hotel, Sussex.

Reproduced Sound 24 - Immersive Audio will feature an array of papers from well known experts in the industry. Further information is available at www.reproducedsound.co.uk.

(Jim Evans)

  1. ETA Sound extends Harman armoury
  2. Busy days for grandPA
  3. Elation names House of Worship winners
  4. Goldfrapp at the Sydney Opera House
  5. QSC Audio goes Backstage
  6. D.A.S. Seminars come to Ireland
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