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UK - One of the North-East's leading audio-visual and event production company, The R&B Group, has announced a string of new contract wins on the strength of its commitment to make Newcastle and Gateshead the events capital of Europe.

Newcastle Quayside-based The R&B Group has a staff of 15 and offers a complete technical solution for presentations, events or shows using the most progressive technical equipment available in the industry. Its work takes them across the country and abroad and is synonymous with many household names such the Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal College of Nursing, Newcastle Chronicle & Journal Ltd, Northern Arts and the eye-catching launch of Gateshead's Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art.

The company's marketing team has just returned from a successful city conference with the Newcastle Gateshead Initiative, aimed at attracting London buyers into ho

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Germany - Joachim (Johnny) Kluten, IAG Germany's energetic front man, has had his position of President, IAG (Deutschland) GmbH confirmed by IAG Group managing director, Steve Woolley. Woolley told us: "Although Johnny has been running our German operation as Geschäftsführer since the company was set up in September 2001, he fully deserves the title of president for his shrewd and strategic management of the business."

Since setting up his first office in Düsseldorf, Kluten has presided over steady growth of the company in all market sectors, setting up a structure which has enabled IAG to respond more efficiently and quickly to market demands. "This has allowed us to take advantage of Wharfedale's attractive price/performance ratio, and expansion into new product areas - such as powered mixers and studio monitors - to lay the groundwork for further electronic

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UK - Autograph Sales has confirmed that following extensive evaluation during the summer, the first two clients for MILO, Meyer Sound's latest addition to its M Series line array system, are Capital Sound Hire and Canegreen. Both London-based rental touring companies are long-term users of Meyer Sound products: Capital Sound has taken delivery of 32 MILOs while Canegreen has purchased 16 boxes.

Canegreen's relationship with Meyer Sound products spans two decades. The company was one of the first Meyer users in the UK and has continued to invest in the manufacturer's latest technology, keeping its Meyer inventory up to date. Canegreen is one of Europe's largest concert rental touring companies, with recent clients including Placebo, Michael McDonald, Craig David and Paul Weller. "At last, here is a line array system that will work in any venue without compromising sound qual

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UK / Japan - Le Mark's new flame-retardant natural gaffer tape, which won the PLASA Show's 2003 Environmental Impact Award, continues to expand into new export markets. Following its September launch, Gaf-Fire was sampled to one of Japan's most respected lighting distribution companies, Tokyo-based H. Ito, and Le Mark was thrilled to see H. Ito place its first order for the new product in October.

Gaf-Fire has seen seen as a breakthrough tap and an important addition to the company's consumable accessory range. Gaf-Fire not only meets the stringent requirements of BS 5867 Part 2 Type B, but also, as the PLASA award reflects, is manufactured using natural elements and environmentally clean processes. Gaf-Fire was seen as the first matt-black non-burn tape with a clean adhesive to be offered to the arts and entertainment industry.

(Lee Baldock)

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Italy - Outline has added the T4 and T44 models to its Twin Pulse range of digital amplifiers. Both are 2U rack-mounting, lightweight units weighing 10 and 11kg respectively. The 2-channel T4 produces 2 x 1500W into 2ohms/2 x 830 into 4ohms/2 x 450W into 8ohms and is fitted with XLR male and female inputs and outputs with Speakon 4-pole connectors.

The four channels of the T44 can be configured as 4 x 1000W into 4ohms, 4 x 600W into 8ohms or (when bridged) 2 x 2000W into 8ohms. It has XLR female/combo (6.3mm jack) inputs and outputs with Speakon 4-pole connectors. The T44 can be used with a power supply of from 95 - 265V, a useful feature in countries such as the US and Japan, for example, which have different mains voltage from Europe. Both models will be available from around the end of November 2003.

(Lee Baldock)

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Russia - Khabarovsk City in Siberia has opened the Palladium Palace, a substantial entertainment centre which doubles as an ice-rink stadium and a concert hall, with a powerful PA system capable of handling both configurations.

In ice-rink mode, the Palace is used for competitions at all levels, for training, and for a range of social ice skating activities. With a few modifications, the venue can be turned into a 7,000-capacity concert hall. PAL Systems has installed a flexible sound reinforcement system, which can handle either the skating competition or a live music performance, as well as the occasional outdoor concert.

A Turbosound Flashlight PA rig has been installed in the Palace, under the control of a permanently-moored Soundcraft K2 console to address the requirements of everyday use. This system is powered by two racks of Chevin Research Line 500 amplifiers, and is

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UK - The first HK Audio Cohedra Line array system to arrive in the UK has been delivered to York-based rental company JSS Audio, who will immediately be using the new line array for three important shows in London's Covent Garden.

Jem Walker, the owner of JSS, commented: "We had an extremely successful show with a large Cohedra system in the KC Stadium in Hull, Yorkshire in early September, hosted by Yorkshire FM station Viking Radio, with Foxy & Tom's Big Bash featuring headline artists Westlife, Triple Eight and a host of other acts. The artists, their crews, sound technicians and management, along with ourselves were all impressed by the great dynamics, transparent natural sound and exceptional dispersion characteristics of the 96 box system. The success of this event lead to many inquiries and it was clear that we would continue to use the HK Audio Cohedra line array.&q

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UK - London-based Entec Sound & Light has been appointed as an Approved Supplier of lighting services to top UK tourist attraction, the Natural History Museum. The appointment, which takes effect immediately and lasts for five years, is the culmination of a highly competitive tender process that saw Entec win the contract ahead of many top industry rivals. Under the contract terms, Entec will be invited to supply lighting services for the increasing number of private events staged at the Museum's premises in Kensington, west London.

"Our competitiveness, flexible approach and ability to meet the very tight deadlines for install and breakdown were all key factors in winning the Natural History Museum contract," says Entec's Noreen O'Riordan. It also highlights the range and diversity of events for which Entec can supply technical production.

This is the latest in a s

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UK - Following the retirement of John Widdowson earlier this month, Steve Tyrrell has been appointed general manager of Spector Lumenex with immediate effect. Tyrell has worked in the public address/general alarm industry for over 11 years and has experience in all areas of management including contracts, sales and engineering. He has worked for Tyco for five years in other management roles including working for Avalon Communications. Steve and his family will be re-locating to Nottingham from Manchester.

John was managing Director of Spector Lumenex prior to its acquisition by Tyco in 2001 and was a Founder Member of the company. Along with John Blach as a fellow director, he helped to build Spector Lumenex into the company it is today. Blach stated, "I am sorry to leave the company and my colleagues, however, Steve is very experienced in the public address, general alar

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USA - Eric Seifert has recently rejoined Artec Consultants Inc as director of acoustics and principal consultant. Seifert returns to Artec bringing to the team his considerable skills in performance venue design and acoustics consulting, project management and administration.

Seifert began his consulting career with Artec Consultants Inc in 1989, working on initial acoustics designs for the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Toronto Ballet Opera House. As a senior consultant, he was responsible for day-to-day acoustics aspects of such highly prestigious and successful projects as the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, Vancouver; the Toronto Centre for the Arts, Toronto; Gwinnett Civic & Cultural Center; Benson Great Hall at Bethel College, Minneapolis; the Phase I renovation of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London; and the Concert and Congress Center, in Lucerne, Switzerla

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UK - Following its highly successful run at The National Theatre, Jerry Springer - The Opera recently opened at The Cambridge Theatre in London's West End, complete with a Cadac J-Type Live Production Console. Sound design is by Mike Walker, with Chris Simpson looking after the installation of the sound equipment which has been supplied by UK audio-visual equipment and services company Blitz. Mike Walker has been involved with the show since last year's Edinburgh Fringe production, which utilized a Cadac R-Type Touring Live Production Console.

With book and lyrics by Stuart Lee and Richard Thomas, with Richard also having written the score, Jerry Springer - The Opera is a fast-moving opera with a big sound. Everything is sung, in true operatic fashion, apart from the role of Jerry, which is spoken. Mike Walker elaborates on the task facing the sound team: "Thi

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USA - Legendary front-of-house engineer 'Big' Mick Hughes has worked for some of the biggest names in the business including Def Leppard, Ozzy Osbourne, Slipknot and UB40. But for most of the past 19 years, Hughes has been at FOH with San Francisco-based heavy metal phenomenon Metallica, during which time he has established many of the production benchmarks by which today's heavy metal bands are judged.

One element in that equation has been Hughes' relationship with leading microphone manufacturer Audio-Technica. He explains: "I've been using Audio-Technica for years because of the way A-T mics sound. I'll continue to use some of my 'old standard' A-T mics, but recently I have added some of the new Artist Elite mics to my setup, including the AE5400 and AE2500. The AE5400 on vocals has stunning tone with great highs."

In addition to the AE5400, Hughes is using ATM35s

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UK - HRH Queen Elizabeth II has formally opened The Capitol, the community arts centre in the Sussex town of Horsham, which has been extensively redesigned and refurbished, with Martin Audio cinema and theatre sound systems installed throughout.

Sound Associates provided an integrated design approach to the new audio and projection systems, including projection equipment, theatre PA, cinema sound, a combined PA/VA system and general communications. The building had been substantially reconfigured, its new layout featuring a small studio cinema, a larger 160-seat cinema, and the main 450-seat auditorium which is set up for dual use as a theatre and cinema.

For all three cinemas, Sound Associates chose Martin Audio's Screen Series of loudspeakers. "Martin has been making great inroads into the cinema sound market in the last couple of years," explains Graham Lodge of S

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South Korea - Over 1500 singers, musicians and performers held audiences spell-bound at Seoul's Jamshil Olympic stadium rcently for a spectacular production of Aida produced by Parma's Regio Theatre for local organizers CNA Korea. The event, which also included chariots, elephants and camels, was directed by Stefano Monti and had a 360ft by 60ft high four-storey set designed by Antonio Mastromattei.

Italian sound designer Daniele Tramontani was called in to design the huge audio rig supplied by Jinyun Cho's Seoul Sound, audio contractors at this ambitious event. Tramontani-based his choice of hardware on equipment he'd already used for important events, as far as mics, consoles and speakers were concerned. Following up on May's Pavarotti & Friends charity concert for which he was responsible for the sound system, and three DiGiCo D5 desks were used, he once again s

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UK - Meteor Electronics, the new company formed by Clive Kinton on his departure from Matrix Audio Development, is launching a range of lightweight Class D Amplifiers and Modules manufactured in the UK.

The D-Lite1200 is a 1U, 19" rack-mounted stereo amplifier giving 600W per channel into 4ohms. Its low weight - less than 8kg - is derived from the use of integral switch-mode power supplies and a clean, clear natural sound is delivered from its digital amplification techniques. This model, say Meteor, will form the basis of a range of digital amplifiers with outputs in excess of 2000W.

The D-Block 600 is a mono-block module, which makes building an active speaker a straightforward proposition. Delivering 600W into 4 ohms, using digital technology and switch-mode power supply, the unit runs without forced cooling and only adds an extra 3kg to the weight of the finished loud

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Austria - With apologies to REM for paraphrasing their song title, but when your playing to an audience sat beneath half a hectare of glass surely wavelength should be a consideration? It might be more traditional for Sopranos to break glass, but violins have no trouble reaching those critical frequencies, and they were to be amplified. OK, so we exaggerate the potential, but when Karlheinz Stockhausen presents a new piece we know conventions will be broken, so it's as well to check anything else that might break.

The occasion was part of this year's Salzburg Festival, a performance of 'Helicopter String Quartet' by the renowned Stadler Quartet. Each of the four sting players performed from within an airborne Black Hawk helicopter (courtesy of the Austrian Army), while the audience sat in the all-glass Hangar 7, the new home to the Flying Bulls aerobatics team. This was notgoing

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Australia - Genelec has been up to something fishy in Sydney's Darling Harbour - the Finnish active monitoring specialist is providing the sound for the popular Disney/Pixar Finding Nemo exhibition at the Sydney Aquarium at Darling Harbour. The aquarium is one of the city's tourist hotspots and welcomes more than a million visitors each year.

The installation was carried out by local company, Switched On Living, which specializes in home automation systems. A Genelec system comprising 1030 and 1032 units with a 7070A subwoofer was chosen for its ability to perform equally well at low and high levels in a difficult acoustic environment.

Switched on Living's managing director, David Beauchamp, comments: "There are lots of hard surfaces and the venue is very large, and we knew that Genelec could be relied on to meet the challenge."

(Lee Baldock)

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Dubai - Dubai-based superstar-of-the-turntables 'Cowboy' is generating more heat in the run-up to the biggest DJ showdown the Middle East has seen - and he's not even competing. Reigning champion Cowboy, who hails from Lebanon, has agreed to sit on the judging panel at the forthcoming PALME 2004 DJ of the Year Competition in Dubai. The DJ promises tough times for contestants, at this stage likely to number more than 200 from all over the world. It was revealed this week that prizes will be worth $40,000 and organizers are spending $100,000 staging the event..

The DJ contest runs in conjunction with the massive PALME expo, the region's first professional sound, light, audio-visual and systems integration exhibition. It was held for the first time earlier this year and organizers say the coming expo, to be held 17-19 February 2004 at Dubai International Exhibition Centre, will be

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Australia - Intended for the Installation and AV markets the new MM 1 from ARX is a two-way speaker that provides surprising sound quality from its compact package. Under its contoured steel mesh front lies an ARX Pro Series 8" (205 mm) low frequency driver, and a powerful 1"(25mm) mid/high compression driver. This is coupled to a 80' x 60' flat front radial horn flare, providing the MM1 with superb clarity and articulation.

The MM 1's specifications include an impedance of 8 Ohms, a rated frequency response of 60Hz-20kHz +-5 dB, recommended minimum amplifier power of 125W RMS, Sensitivity of 1W at 1m of 92dB and a Maximum SPL at 1m of 123dB. The MM1 features 2 Speakon Connectors as standard, weighs in at only 10kg and has maximum dimensions of 460mm (H) x 280mm (W) x 330mm (D). The units are fitted with captive T nuts to fit Omnimount Series 75 wall brackets and a rec

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Canary Islands - In the city of Puerto del Rosario on the island of Fuerteventura, one of Spain's most 'Latin' rock bands, Café Quijano, was in concert during the island's regional festivities. Once again, rental company Audio Luz, located in the city of Gran Tarajal, was responsible for providing the sound reinforcement and stage monitoring systems.

24 ST-112 mid/high units were flown (12 per side) and 16 ground-stacked ST-218 low frequency units made up the main PA. Six ST-1800 systems (ST-112 and ST-218) were used to provide front-fill for the first few rows. All the systems were powered using QSC amplifiers. Audio Luz says of the ST-1800 systems: " They provide us with high sound pressure levels and absolute reliability. What we like best is that we don't have worry too much because we know they perform well."

Stage monitoring was handled by 14 D.A.S. passive tw

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Germany - Dynacord has extended its family of high quality power amplifiers with the addition of three new members: the CL 1600, CL 1200 and CL 800. The new Compact Linear Precision power amplifier range combines audio performance with a high degree of reliability and operational safety, say Dynacord. As well as providing an improved specification, Dynacord has reduced the weight of the amplifiers, so that the CL 1600, CL 1200 and CL 800 weigh in at 16kg, 15kg and 13.5kg respectively.

The use of an optimized power supply with low-emission toroidal transformers and Class H technology has made it possible to attain a large amount of headroom over and above the rated power, whilst at the same time reducing both the weight and the power loss of the amplifiers, according to the manufacturer. CL series amplifiers are protected against overheating, overloading and short-circuits as wel

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Italy - RCF, A Loud Technologies Inc (formerly Mackie Designs) brand, has announced the launch of the first RCF-branded website for the worldwide commercial and industrial sound market. The first version of the new web site is an Italian language version, and an English language version will come online later this month.

The launch of the new RCF site is the latest step in the company's plan, announced during the PLASA Show in September, to re-focus RCF as Loud Technologies' worldwide commercial and industrial sound brand. As part of this transition, commercial sound products currently branded as Mackie Industrial will be re-badged as RCF.

"RCF has a rich 50-year history in Europe as a premier commercial sound provider -especially in Italy. For this reason, we launched the Italian site first, followed closely by the English version," said Dave Raneses, commercial aud

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Europe - Legendary rockers Deep Purple are using 14 of Robe's new ColorSpot 1200 AT moving head fixtures on their Bananas world tour, currently in Europe.

Lighting designer is UK-based Louis Ball, who lit the band initially from 1984 to 1987, and then continuously since the mid-1990s. Ball's own high profile career started at 18, with the Alex Harvey Band in the late 1970s. Since then he's lit some of the best-known names in rock 'n' roll, including Judas Priest, Ozzie Osborne, Slayer, Anthrax, Wishbone Ash, Climie Fisher and a host of other diverse artists including Wet Wet Wet and French superstar Johnny Halliday.

Ball was first introduced to the Robe ColorSpot 1200s by Robe's German distributor, L.M.P. who supplied the gear to the German rental hire company, T.D.A. Ball was then contacted by Randy Wade of Robe America - the two having worked on many of the same shows and pr

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USA - The new SP12 stage monitor from Mach is a low profile stage monitor. Utilized in stage applications during the product development process this past summer, the SP12 achieved excellent feedback from professional performers. Featuring high SPL and power handling, the SP12 provides high gain before feedback with minimum EQ requirements. A narrow dispersion patent gives ideal vocal performance and a specially designed enclosure provides for a powerfully clean bass performance.

The SP12 is equipped with dual 12" woofers and features a very flat frequency response. The compression driver features a 2" throat and has an output of no less than 138 dB. The symmetrically designed cabinet is durable and is coated with Mach SafeCoat, a strong scratch resistant, UV stable and weatherproof polyurethane surface. The SP 12 is equally suitable for TV and theatre environments.

  1. New appointment at Transamerica
  2. OpTex is UK agent for Marenius Audio Products
  3. Even SMARTer from Proel
  4. Audio Toolbox
  5. Matrix Audio in liquidation
  6. The 1st Zouk Festival
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