Sound

Details
The stars (and the stripes) were out in force for the party to celebrate the West End premiere of the much-talked about film, Pearl Harbor. AD Event Design and Production staged the eye-catching event held at the University of London's Senate House, bringing in Dobson Sound to cater for the audio requirements.

Amanda Davis is known for creating visually spectacular and innovative events, and this was no exception. The whole event was themed as a US wartime party with several extras in 1940s US Army uniforms lounging around the balconies of the main hall, drinking beer and whistling at the guests in typical army fashion as they came in. Perhaps the most spectacular visual feast was the front of the building which was lit from top to bottom with stars and stripes while search lights played into the sky. However, no event would be complete without audio, and that is where Dobson Sound cam

Details
Adam Hall is using PLASA to launch a range of new products. These include the Racklight - a brand new concept for illuminating 19" racked products for stage, studio and installation. This product uses innovative technology to produce clear and uniformed light, will not get hot or burn out, is very strong and durable, and does not use conventional bulbs!

Also new is a brand new range of loudspeaker systems for PA stage and installation use. The range of Talon loudspeaker systems comprises a standard series of compact loaded ply wood cabinets available in either black painted or carpet finish and a series of unique high spec cabinets featuring the Fane 'Concept One' primary drive units.

Other new products featured on stand include the latest additions to Amphenol's range of audio connectors, new versions of the 'Astroboard' lightweight material for constructing flightcases, and a

Details
Karl Winkler, veteran brand manager for Neumann microphones, has been promoted to director, marketing communications, for Sennheiser Electronics Corporation. In his new position, Winkler will oversee all advertising, public relations and field communications for the Sennheiser, Neumann, Innova-Son and D.A.S. Audio brands. In addition, he'll be responsible for new promotional items, all printed materials, and corporate website development and maintenance. Winkler and his team will also initiate ongoing in-house training programs, manage the SEC merchandising calendar and provide the company's monthly sales rep update newsletters on programs and new products. Based at Sennheiser corporate headquarters, Winkler's new team includes literature and trade show coordinator Mary Kenny, database manager Lisa Egner, web developer, Jesse Starks, and marketing coordinator Luke Bean.

Details
Microphone manufacturer Audio-Technica has appointed Ideas Marketing to act as its UK public relations consultants. Established by Nick Powell, former employee of A-T, Ideas Marketing is seen as well equipped to assist Audio-Technica's marketing effort. Rod Geary, Audio-Technica's general sales manager commented on the agreement: "A-T have appointed Ideas Marketing to help us to maximise the impact of several very exciting products which we have in the pipeline." Rod Geary also explained that since Nick's departure in May of this year, the A-Team has streamlined its approach to marketing related issues, with Denise Turner recently appointed to the position of executive assistant. Denise, who has been with the company for four years and has held a number of roles including marketing administrator, becomes the first point of contact for all Audio-Technica marketing activities, wh

Details
The Dickson CyberExpress is a 21st century retail concept, first launched in Hong Kong last autumn. The HK$380m investment by the Dickson Group of Companies has resulted in a 70,000sq.ft, high-tech development at Kowloon Station.

It’s a full-on interactive shopping environment, offering a wide selection of the best known brands in the universe. The ‘cybermall’ functions as a complementary intelligent retail centre to Dickson’s e-commerce venture, DicksonCyberExpress.com.

The idea was to create the ultimate consumer experience for cyber-chic shoppers. The team chosen to pull the project together included UK-based design and production company Media Projects International, retail designer JGA Inc from the US, Hong Kong architects Gensler, UK-based AV systems specialists Electrosonic and various LDs and directors.CyberExpress’s seven ‘zones’ inc

Details
The PSA launched its latest initiative for those working within the Entertainment & Events industry. The aim of the Register - called Skill Base - is to provide all operatives with the opportunity to obtain recognition of their skills and qualifications, and to provide evidence to a contractor or employer of their ability to do a job competently and safely.

The creation of the Register is also intended to help counteract some of the problems facing the industry, such as declining employment, skills shortages, lack of training, poor health and safety records, and an unfavourable public image. The Register will set agreed industrial skill standards, based on qualifications and experience, which are being established in co-operation with trade associations and employers across Europe. This will further enhance the new International groups being established by the PSA in Ireland, Holland

Details
The Cloud One Group Ltd, located in Birmingham, have appointed Bill Jones as business development manager. Well known within the industry, and most recently with Lightfactor Sales, his background in sales, aligned with his vast knowledge of sound and lighting equipment, will strengthen the group’s long established position within the areas of equipment hire and event production. Installations, flight-case manufacturing and the sale of pro audio products are other areas covered by Cloud One, Stratford Acoustics - the rental arm - and Midland Custom Cases.

Details
EVID is a brand new range of loudspeakers from Electro-Voice, designed specifically for installations such as bars, restaurants, hotels, leisure and retail complexes. Designed with versatility in mind, these ellipsoid cabinets offer over 100º of swing and 45º of rotation, which combined with the flexible Strong-Arm-Mount (SAM) system, enables installers to cope with even the most challenging of spaces. EVID is available in three models, plus a subwoofer, and is also designed to integrate with the EP Series ceiling speakers should further choice be required. The baby of the range is the compact 3.2 full range followed by the 4.2 compact full-range loudspeaker system. The largest and most powerful EVID enclosure is the 6.2 extended range high output loudspeaker system, although at only 16.5" high it is still amazingly compact for what it can produce. With dual 6" woofers and a

Details
Dutch HK Audio distributor Wils Muziekimport sponsored a seminar on the topic of On-Stage Monitoring. The seminar, which was held in ‘013’ in Tilburg, Holland, was led by guest speaker Rob Hodgkinson and was attended by over 50 participants eager to pick up some practical tips from the Deep Purple monitor engineer. Hodgkinson’s presentation, which focused on all the important aspects of preparation that make effective stage monitoring possible, was followed by a virtual factory tour and additional background information about the entire HK Audio touring and rental line, presented by product specialist Christian Stumpp. After the theoretical part of the presentation came the practical segment, for which a seven-piece band was ready to perform a live soundcheck.

In contrast to standard product demos that use music from CDs, here each member of the audience was given the

Details
Drawmer has introduced the six-pack - a 3U, six channel multi-dynamics processor which features comprehensive universal linking technology designed specifically for surround-sound application. The unit can be configured so that any combination of channels can be linked to track each other's levels preventing image shift. For example, front left/right and rear left/right can be configured as two stereo pairs with individual channel control over both centre and sub-bass (LFE). Channel six offers the option of a switchable 120Hz low-pass filter in order that a sub-bass (LFE) channel may be derived from a five channel surround mix. Each channel comprises a soft knee compressor with switchable Auto or Manual Attack and Release, a variable threshold limiter and a 'Programme Adaptive' Expander/Gate with a variable release time of up to five seconds to retain reverberation tails where necessary.

Details
CP Sound has just completed the installation of an innovative new lighting rig, plus a re-invention and design of the sound system incorporating several new elements at The Core in Yeovil, Somerset. The club - formerly known as Duke’s - is owned by locally-based independent operator Terry Clare. Steve Howie from Howie Design was commissioned to produce the interior design, basing his themeing on ideas triggered from the complex and world of the cult 1999 Warchowski Brothers movie, The Matrix.

Audio-wise at the Core, CP Sound’s Colin Pattenden utilised as much as possible of the existing installation, whilst also addressing the previous system’s serious lack of bass. He added four JBL MS125S cabinets to the room, complete with new RSE PFX 1200 clip control amplifiers. CP Sound also added a DJ monitor where previously there was none - plus two JBL top cabinets for infi

Details
Neil Finn, of Crowded House and Split Enz fame, has been busy touring an entertaining live show with some semi-legendary muso mates and a very flexible format. L&SI caught up with him in New Zealand and the UK, courtesy of Catriona Strom and Steve Moles . . .

Auckland’s St James Theatre was the setting for the start of the Neil Finn & Friends shows, which featured a line-up including Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam, Radiohead’s Ed O’Brien and Phil Selway, Johnny Marr and Sebastian Steinberg on electric and double bass, and Lisa Germano doing vocals and a number of instruments.

Oceania Audio supplied sound, with the company’s Paul Jeffery acting as both technical manager and monitor engineer. "The concert was certainly a challenge," said Jeffery, "but having worked, off and on, for Split Enz and Crowded House for many years, I’m quite familiar

Details
Direct marketing company Smart Sound Direct, has introduced the latest in its line of ancillary equipment. The Chameleon CF8 mains distribution unit/high frequency filter is designed to sit quietly within any sound system fending off those inherent mains born nasties such as high frequency ‘spikes’ and ‘saw tooth wave’ beasties living within the power supplies. Using Chameleon evolved precision winding techniques, far more mains filtration is now possible than previously achieved for a unit of this size and weight. The compact close coupled design allows 1U rack models to be fitted with Neutrik 15 amp Powercon sockets feeding up to eight appliances, or alternatively a 2U design featuring six 13 amp outlets.

Details
Nearly 19 years after they vowed never to play live again, Roxy Music ended years of seemingly endless speculation with the announcement that they would be back on the road this year with their original line-up. Also back is producer Rhett Davies, who has been drafted in as sound director for the tour. Rhett has worked with an impressive and varied roster of artists over the years, including Dire Straits, Brian Eno, Talking Heads and the B52s.

Rhett and Levi Tecofski (FOH mixer) will be using three Mackie HDR24/96 recorders to record the entire Roxy tour. All the concerts will have every feed sent to the HDRs, which in turn will provide a full 72 tracks of new recordings at every stop. The band will be performing songs from an impressive portfolio that includes such hits as Avalon, More Than This, Jealous Guy, Angel Eyes, Dance Away, Love is the Drug, and of course, the seminal Virgin

Details
The long-awaited new movie from acclaimed director Robert Altman - Gosford Park - has just completed shooting using very complex audio multi-track recording. Set in the thirties, with an all-star cast including Alan Bates, Stephen Fry, Sir Michael Gambon, Richard E. Grant, Sir Derek Jacobi, Helen Mirren, Dame Maggie Smith, Charles Dance and many more, this film seems certain to be a box office winner.

Director Altman is well known in movie sound circles as the man who ‘invented’ multi-track dialogue recording in feature films. In its basic form, each actor wears a radio microphone and is recorded separately on a multi-track system. During more complex scenes, many different conversations can take place simultaneously, and are filmed by two or more moving cameras. The audio is then reconstructed in post-production from the radio mic tracks and booms. Peter Glossop was in cha

Details
Music with walls? Music without instruments? is the title of an international conference attended by 100 delegates and speakers from Europe and the US. The conference opens today at the De Montfort University (DMU) in Leicester and runs until Saturday.

"This is a high-level conference where we will be looking at the future of how music is composed and technological and music innovations," said Professor Andrew Hugill. He is one of the conference organisers, along with Professor Leigh Landy who heads the Music, Technology and Innovation Research Group at DMU. The conference will feature musical installations, listening posts, an internet station for interactive music-making, and musical performances at Phoenix Arts, Leicester. There will be four concerts and six installations throughout the conference, including ‘Time Drops’ by Akemi Ishijima - a continuously runni

Details
The new CCS 800 compact discussion system from Philips CSI provides an easy and affordable way to improve the management of meetings and conferences. It also comes with an extra incentive - a free delegate unit for every 10 delegate/chairman units purchased.

The CCS 800 is suited to small to medium-sized applications for up to 100 delegates. Each delegate unit comes complete with built-in microphone, loudspeaker and two headphone sockets with volume control. Optional units have an additional priority override button which cuts off all other speakers when pressed, allowing meetings to be managed more effectively. Other optional features include simultaneous translation facilities, remote participation by telephone and linking to a PA system for broadcasting proceedings to a larger audience. The CCS 800 interfaces easily with external equipment to extend its capabilities. For instance, a

Details
At the 10th annual British Entertainment & Discotheque Association Awards, held in Birmingham, the Mackie Fussion System walked off with the top award of the evening when it was voted Product of the Year 2001.

The BEDA/Miller awards are voted upon by members of the association and a panel of judges. The judges had the following to say about the system. "Mackie's high-output active speaker system has made a major impact in late night venues across the UK. Combining high precision transducers with application specific amplifier technology, the system is capable of generating extreme output levels with incredibly low distortion levels. Its in-built amplification allows for ease of installation and minimal signal loss."

Details
In the final stages of a major revamp of its distributor network, Celestion has appointed Lyd-Systemer as its representative in Norway. Lyd-Systemer is one of Norway’s leading pro-audio distribution companies, and carries Amek, DPA Microphones, EAW and TC Electronics in its portfolio. Managing director Terje Engedahl anticipates that "Celestion will be attractive to the large number of Norwegian end-users looking for cost-effective background and foreground music solutions. This will include the entertainment venues, bars, clubs and restaurants, but also the installation customers, especially in the retail sector."

Details
Brand experience consultancy Hotcakes has won the international award for Best Consumer Products Event at the European IBTM Awards in Geneva (30 May), for its production of Marks & Spencer’s unique ‘Time To Celebrate’ touring show.

‘Time To Celebrate’ has been acknowledged as Europe’s biggest ever touring show undertaken by a retailer and was devised to showcase the retailer’s Christmas/Millennium collections. Taking place in a specially-designed state-of-the-art structure, the show was staged adjacent to M&S’s flagship stores in Bristol, Gateshead, Edinburgh and Camberley. It incorporated a celebrity cooking demonstration, a fashion show and an exhibition of merchandise from the Home & Gifts department, and was seen by 26,000 customers and staff across the UK. The event was managed by a crew of 550, and transported around the country by

Details
Amptown Cases is celebrating a staggering 10,000 sales worldwide of its versatile Transflex road trunk system by launching Transflex2, offered in a standard range of four lengths and two widths (1/4 and 1/3 truck packs). As part of the launch, Amptown is offering the first 598 customers over 20% discount.

The Transflex2 has been updated to allow even greater flexibility. The movable partition systems have been redesigned to allow them to be positioned at 25mm centres, and are available in two heights, one which fits the full height of the case and a shorter version, designed to fit under any trays that are used. The Transflex2 trays themselves are self-supporting and can now be firmly located anywhere along the length of the case - they can also be fitted in multiples. Existing users of Transflex will be pleased to learn that all components of the new Transflex2 are compatible with the

Details
GuidePort is a unique 'intelligent' visitor audio guide system from Sennheiser. It employs the very latest multiple-channel, digital wireless transmission technology to provide an almost limitless degree of functionality, in providing a soundtrack to any visitor attraction.

By the use of digital sound transmission techniques and cellular-based computer network control, a virtually unique visitor experience can be provided, incorporating multiple languages, any number of different levels of description - with separate soundtracks for children, adults, locals, tourists, experts or even individual visitor groups - each visitor experiencing a soundtrack specific to their chosen route through the attraction, automatically received as they approach each exhibit or enter an area of the attraction. Thus any number of 'different' tours can occur continuously and simultaneously.

Additionally m

Details
In an agreement signed in Shen Zhen, China, last week, ADSworldwide will have access to the largest domestic loudspeaker market in the world. David Hopkins OBE, chairman and managing director of holding company Audio Design Services Ltd, has been working on this project for a number of years, being a frequent visitor to the Far East. The company has appointed 40 Chinese distributors throughout China and plans for that figure to be 400 within the next four years.

The joint venture sees the creation of Adsworldwide China, an occasion enhanced by the official opening of the company’s new building in Shen Zhen. Amongst the 70 people present there was a large cross-section of representatives from Chinese television and press, as well as the newly selected distributors. After the official signing ceremony, a celebration cocktail party and dinner was held at a nearby hotel in Shen Zhen.

Details
Artcoustic, a manufacturer of flat, full-range speakers for the install and leisure markets, has appointed MilTec (UK) Ltd as its commercial distributor. Kim Donvig, director of Artcoustic told PLASA Media: "We have been looking for a distributor who has good relationships with installers within the bar and hotel business and we have now found that company in MilTec (UK) Ltd."
  1. Sarner Makes History
  2. To Russia with Celestion
  3. ECA2 at Expo 2001, Japan
  4. Celestion Confirms New Sales and Marketing Director
  5. Jon Stanley Joins beyerdynamic Team
  6. Hayden Launches Rane DA 26 Amp
Page 524 of 1372

Latest Issue. . .