UK - UK distributor, HW International has announced a number of new products from the Phonic Corporation. First is a range of powered loudspeakers with moulded plastic cabinets. Consisting of two models, the PA450 and PA550, the PA Series of speakers are bi-amplified, featuring a built-in precision 24dB/oct Linkwitz-Riley electronic crossover, a 3-input mixer, 2-band EQ and a link out. Designed to offer a flexible solution to everyday PA requirements, both full-range models are ideal for overcoming rugged and challenging sound environments, say HW.

Also now available is the eagerly-awaited PAA2 - described as a super-accurate, palm-held audio analyzer. Complete with a 31-band real time spectrum analyzer, SPL and line level meter, internal noise generator, EQ setting program allowing for microphone calibrations and speaker phase-checking abilities. The compact package also featur

UK - The double-award-winning DiGiCo D5 Live digital mixing system has been expanded with the launch of the new D5 56E 'Extended' version featuring a built-in digital effects engine and a 96-channel control surface.

It comes with a 56 mic-input stage end 'DigiRack' with 56 channels of A/D converters, 8 line outputs 100m metres of fibre optic cable and a 40 input / 40 output 'local' (desk end) DigiRack.

The 56E 'Extended' system provides up to six digital effects per channel simultaneously, including a range of exceptionally high quality reverbs, flanging, phasing, double tracking, vocoder and delays. Effects channels 5 and 6 provide digital dynamics, equalisation and compression for up to 7.1 surround sound outputs. As with the DSP engine in the D5 Live itself, the effects processor has the processing capacity to support use of every available effect at once, across all channe

UK - Following the success of its 'frogsupport.com' website and to mark the introduction of the new Illusion 500 desk, Zero 88 has launched a dedicated Illusion forum. In a similar manner to the Frog website, the new Illusion site will enable Illusion customers and distributors to keep up to date with software releases, request new features and keep in touch with other users. Visitors will also be able to report bugs and contribute to the development of new software.

"The Frog Support website has proved to be an immensely powerful tool in terms of the development of the Frog range software and we are hoping the new Illusion forum will be equally beneficial," says Tim Burt, Zero 88's brand manager." At the end of last year we relaunched the Illusion, upping its specification to 500 channels and adding in the hardware for moving light control. We are now in the proc

UK - Adam Hall Ltd, the UK manufacturer of flightcase and cabinet hardware components, cables and stands has announced its appointment as the new UK distributor for US manufacturer SKB's range of high quality moulded cases for instruments and 19" racks. This news has already been welcomed by many current UK dealers of SKB products, say Adam Hall. Sales manager Rob Fricker commented: "This is an excellent new line for Adam Hall. Our aim is to improve the service and delivery to all SKB dealers, making the product range more accessible to the end user."

Other distribution lines for Adam Hall include Amphenol Audio Connectors, Palmer Audiotools and Racklight.

(Lee Baldock)

UK - The new 9th Edition of the famous Raper & Wayman catalogue is now available. This new edition has been retitled 'R&W Offline' to complement the company's well-known web presence at R&W Online. Featuring thousands of commercial audio products over a generous 180 pages, it showcases the company's wide scope of equipment, from the humblest of microphones, via mixers of every type through to the best in recording systems and speakers. Live as well as broadcast and recording kit abounds, and in this edition by popular request everything is now priced within the catalogue rather than in a separate list.

(Lee Baldock)

USA - New from Electro-Voice is the 15" two-way full-range Gladiator G115 loudspeaker and the 18" G118 subwoofer. Designed to reproduce modern dance music, the Gladiator is the perfect system for the DJ, what with the Gladiator's extended LF response coupled with EV's great high frequency and vocal clarity due to RMD (Ring-Mode Decoupling).

The newly developed EV-Series woofers and crossover networks reliably produce highest SPLs at full bandwidth. RoadWood enclosures, steel grilles, high impact corners, and comfortable handles complete the package for years of reliable sound quality. Used together, EV's unique system design allows one amplifier channel to drive the sub's built-in crossover that provides the full-range output. No additional crossovers or amps are required for this true three-way system. The EV Q66 amplifier - with up to 850W per channel - is the perfec

Italy - New from Proel is the company's first venture into coaxial speakers - the Edge series. Designed for installation and touring sound users looking for high quality sound from the smallest possible enclosure, the first model in the new series is the Edge 8CXP, an 8" coaxial speaker with a 1" compression driver housed in a particularly small enclosure.

Key to the Edge's exceptional performance are two new speakers. The 8" woofer has several innovative features, including ISV (Interleaved Sandwich Voice Coil) and employs a diecast basket with double ventilation to ensure maximum heat dispersion with the lowest possible compression level. The 1" compression driver contains ferrofluid for maximum heat dispersion and features a new diaphragm manufactured from synthetic material designed with radial reinforcements to increase rigidity. The phase corrector resu

Denmark - Designed especially for use in theatrical environments or situations where greater control of the beam of an automated wash light is required, Martin has developed a fully motorized and fully closing set of barndoors for the MAC 2000 Wash.

The barndoors were conceived in the original design process of the fixture after consultation with lighting designers from around the world. The barndoors come fitted with a wide angle lens as standard, but can be fitted with the Fresnel or PC lenses that are supplied with the MAC 2000 Wash fixture. Quarter-turn screws allow users to easily remove the standard front lens and replace it with the barndoor module, complete with lens. No cables are needed as the module plugs directly into a socket already equipped on every MAC 2000 Wash fixture.

An individual DMX channel controls each of the barndoors' four blades. Additionally, each b

Italy - Two new loudspeakers from leading Italian manufacturer B&C promise to set new performance standards in bass performance, according to UK distributor Proel (International) Ltd. The 15 TBX 40-8 and the 18 TBX 46 subwoofer offer extreme high power bass handling coupled with exceptional sound quality and reliability. Both feature 4" copper-wound voice coils with inside/outside winding on fibreglass formers, delivering very high thermal capability, which is further assisted by the use of ventilated magnetic assemblies.

Additional features include the use of dual demodulation rings for lower distortion and the employment of aramid fibre-loaded cores to improve acoustic damping and mechanical reliability. Polycotton triple roll surrounds are featured, giving high peak-to-peak excursion, the speakers feature double silicon spider designs and, finally, waterproof coatings ar

Denmark - The Martin 'egolution' continues with the Ego 03, a one-of-a-kind 250-watt deco effect featuring colorful, ever-changing kaleidoscopic patterns. Similar to a kaleidoscope, you remember, those tube-shaped optical toys that rotate to produce symmetrical designs by means of mirrors and bits of colored glass, the Ego 03 is a visual treat, projecting a varying barrage of psychedelic gobo designs.

The Ego 03 features high precision optics, a specially designed color/gobo wheel, and sharp and detailed kaleidoscopic gobo designs, all in a great looking composite shell. Other features include variable behavior options, selectable auto or music trig, remote operation, switch mode power supply and much more. The Philips ELC/5H, 24V/250W source gives up to 500 hours of operation. A continuous duty cycle and fan cooling means the effect can run continuously with no cool-down time n

The Netherlands - Prolyte Products, in conjunction with the Stageco Group, have developed a range of stage decks, called Stage DEX, which they claim are among the strongest and most versatile demountable staging systems on the market. The Stage DEX is an efficient and lightweight stage system with high loading capacity. The decks can be assembled quickly and easily and are available in several standard sizes and different heights.

The Stage DEX consists of an aluminium frame with a plywood top bolted and glued to it to reduce noise and vibration. The legs can be fitted to the frame and fixed with one simple handle, without the need for tools. Rails and other accessories can easily be attached to the by inserting a spigot in a pre-bolted hole on each corner of the deck, allowing the rails to be assembled after the decks are built.

Apart from the standard sizes 2 x 1 m and 1 x 1

UK - To mark the start of the New Year, Navigator Systems has released a free upgrade to its best-selling rental management software HireTrack Eclipse.

The upgrade - which consists of more than 70 new features - comes in response to customer feedback, and demand for the new version has already been high, with the system now a regular feature of many company's business plans. One such client, Saville Audio Visual, winners of the AV Rental Company of the Year at the AV Awards 2002, has grown its rental turnover by 26% - an achievement "based around the use of HireTrack Eclipse", which is now installed in all 14 outlets. Navigator will be showing the new release at this year's Frankfurt Pro Light+Sound/MusikMesse in March.

(Ruth Rossington)

UK / France - Anytronics took advantage of the SIEL show in Paris from 2nd - 5th February to launch their new Anycolour stacking light box system on the Areco stand. Their demonstration was based on 12 of the new Anycolour Lightboxes arranged 3 high and 4 wide to give a seamless 2m x 2.6m wall of colour. The light boxes were controlled by the DMX output of an Anycolour ColourDesk controller via a DMX interface to give a wall of attractive and easily-controlled moving colours.

"The entire installation took me less than 20 minutes to unpack and construct from time of arrival on site, thanks to the simple interlocking Lightbox design and the 'plug and play' interconnection system," said Bob Hall, managing director of Anytronics, who was reportedly delighted with the attention that the new product attracted to the stand throughout the show. The Anycolour Lightbox is an ext

Germany - During this year's Telex EVI Audio in-house exhibition (Hausmesse), from the 24 to 26 January, the Dynacord Cobra celebrated its first birthday. Despite its acoustic merits and handling advantages, with larger applications the Cobra came up against its natural power limits. That is when customers began asking for more projection and sound pressure, and in response Dynacord have come up with the Cobra-4. Employing active 4-way technology, the latest member of the Cobra family is capable of generating twice the projection of the active 2-way system, according to Hans Bürger, Dynacord's product manager.

Responsible for the increase in power is on the one hand the Cobra-4 PWH, a horn-loaded enclosure generating higher sound pressure levels than the conventional Cobra sub-bass enclosure. To complement it, Dynacord's research and development team devised the Cobra-4 Far, wh

UK - The latest addition to the Chroma-Q range of colour changers is the Cascade, which utilises two internal gel-strings and the latest technology to provide over 300 useable colours from a single unit. Offering the same level of reliability and affordable technology, the new compact and lightweight Cascade offers many new features and enhancements creating the most versatile Chroma-Q to date.

A Universal Mounting System (UMS) eliminates the need for individual mounting plates, and by simple adjustment makes this unit instantly compatible with a range of lanterns with up to a 175mm lens, suitable for up to 50º beam angle (without light loss). The Cascade is supplied complete with gel-strings, and further benefits from an integrated heat shield, which increases gel-string longevity, particularly beneficial for higher wattage lanterns. The unit additionally features two operatio

USA - QSC's revamped website is now making its online debut with new, easy-to-navigate pages sporting sleek graphics and a number of other enhancements. A useful and entertaining tool for everyone from seasoned touring pros and contractors to consultants and even garage bands on their way up, the site has been completely overhauled with refinements including an ability to conduct searches for any product from any page using either the navigation bar, search engine, or drop-down menus.

Products are listed by market category, and all relevant information on each of those products ranging from detailed specs to user manuals can be viewed from a single location. One of the most other noticeable elements within the site's broadened scope is its expanded image base. In relevant cases, product photos reveal front and rear panel views on the same page at the simple movement of the curso

UK - 1 and Dolby Laboratories have announced a collaboration to study 1's proprietary Digital Sound Projector technology for the commercial cinema market. Digital Sound Projector technology creates highly controllable sound beams. From a single panel, which comprises an array of transducers, sound beams are formed which can be focused and dynamically steered to create exciting new audio effects.

David Lewis, 1's sales and marketing director told us: "Our technology could offer a new level of realism to cinema audiences. For example, we can align the movement of a sound beam with an aeroplane as its sweeps across the screen, or position a beam above the audience to accurately locate the noise of a helicopter landing."

The collaboration opens up a new market for 1's technology within the commercial cinema and film industry. This agreement with Dolby Laboratories follow

UK - Le Mark has developed a new fire retardant gaffer tape. Manufactured from high quality, waterproof, vinyl-coated cloth tape, with a natural rubber based adhesive, it has a special flame retardant coating. Offering high tensile strength, it conforms to Ford specifications - ESB-M3G71-B and S95GG14K024CA.

On a separate note, Le Mark's custom printing division had an incredibly busy start to 2003. January saw the production, for the first time, of a uniquely complicated multi-text identification label system for the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Le Mark adapted its heavy-duty PAL Label identification system to meet the Philharmonic's requirement that every single piece of flight-cased equipment be uniquely named and identified with a reusable label. This required a total of 73 individual stencils to be produced and then screen printed.

(Ruth Rossington)

UK - Sennheiser UK's guidePORT Health & Fitness Partner, TrackTones Ltd, has won the Barclays Bank Award for Commercial Innovation 2003. The award was presented at the recent seventh annual London Innovation Awards ceremony at the British Library, to TrackTones inventor and managing director, Steve Parkin, by Minister of State for E-Commerce and Competitiveness, Stephen Timms MP, and Huw Evans, Barclays Bank Corporate Director of Technology, Media & Telecomms.

The invention, which earned Steve Parkin's company accreditation as Sennheiser's first guidePORT Health & Fitness Partner, incorporates the new Sennheiser guidePORT intelligent, wireless personal audio guide system in a product designed to enhance music delivery and improve performance benefits in health and fitness facilities.

TrackTones can provide up to 16 simultaneous high quality audio channels via the digital RF gu

Finland - Genelec has launched a giant active subwoofer - ideal for large surround sound or stereo installations. Known as the 7073A, it features four 305mm (12") drivers, fast-acting, low distortion amplifiers, an incredible 124dB sound pressure output, 19Hz lower cut-off frequency, plus a full 6.1-capable bass management system - so it can easily handle the most demanding high SPL applications. Essentially the 7073A has twice the sound pressure output of Genelec's previous largest sub-woofer, the 7071A.

All the new subwoofer's electronics are fully integrated into the cabinet, including the active crossover filters, driver overload protection circuits and power amplifiers. The integrated bass management system with its six inputs and outputs (L/C/R front and L/C/R rear), plus LFE input and summed signal output connectors is very flexible. The dedicated LFE input (which ca

UK - As it has done for over 30 years, leading lighting rental group White Light has once again responded to demand by adding some of the latest lighting equipment to its comprehensive rental stock - the StudioDue CityColor exterior colour-changing floodlight, and the Pulsar ChromaBank LED colour-mixing batten.

The CityColor is a 2.5kW exterior floodlight rated to IP54 for outdoor use. Able to operate in standalone mode or under DMX control, it offers remote control of intensity plus three-colour mixing. Bright, rugged, versatile and reliable, the units are supplied flightcased ready to be rolled into position, plugged in and focused (units are supplied with barndoors fitted). The CityColors have already proved popular for a wide range of projects, including shows at the Royal Albert Hall, at York Minster, on corporate work, at weddings and even lighting an inflatable tank at a

USA - American DJ has introduced the Auto Spot 150, a six-channel intelligent DMX moving head fixture, designed and priced for smaller and mid-size clubs. The Auto Spot 150 is equipped with a 150W discharge lamp and has a pan movement of 540° (full movement in 2.8 seconds) and a tilt movement 270° (full movement in 1.6 seconds). Its micro-stepping motors provide fast, precise pan and tilt, along with ultra-smooth colour and gobo transitions.

Featuring independent wheels for colours and gobos, it comes equipped with seven variable-speed rotating gobos plus a spot - all replaceable. There are nine dichroic colours plus white, and the option for split colours. The Auto Spot 150 also includes a variable strobe with a dimmer and shutter for super-fast strobing.

Designed for ease and flexibility of operation, the fixture comes equipped with its own built-in programs and can

UK - Reading-based EMF Technology recently launched its new DMX-controlled Fire Storm range of flame effects. These special effects were developed to fill a demand for medium-scale controllable stage flames. EMF’s Stuart Roberts told us: "For many years we have supplied DMX effects that range from 2ft in height to 8m high kerosene Vulcan flame-throwers. Our clients asked for ‘something in between’ and we’ve responded to that request."

The Fire Storm system has been developed to produce a flame height of 3-5m and is typically designed for use for large indoor events. Systems can be placed at the front, rear and under stages. "As with all our real flame effects, these have been designed in accordance with the standards set by the London Fire Brigade and the City of Westminster events department," Roberts added.

Since its roll-out, the

USA - Wybron has created a new CXI colour mixer designed to fit perfectly on the ETC MultiPAR lighting fixture. The CXI MultiPAR colour mixer is the newest member of the CXI family - the fourth generation of colour changing technology from Wybron. The new MultiPAR is constructed with an all-metal housing that has proven to hold up under the rigours of a rock tour, as well as in permanent installations and theatre applications. Just like the other members of the family, the larger CXI MultiPAR uses the same standard gelstrings of cyan, magenta and yellow to create a nearly endless palette of colour. The variable fan speed offers whisper quiet service and extends the gel life while the Time to Destination feature offers easy programming for variable length cross fades.

(Ruth Rossington)

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