Sound

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Germany - HK Audio's new Cohedra line array system recently met the demanding requirements of Walter Haupt's ambitious touring production of Carl Orff's Carmina Burana.

Haupt presented Carmina Burana on the grand scale, with a large choir, a symphony orchestra and 200 singers and actors performing on a 20m tower with four stages, complex scenery and impressive lighting and sound systems provided by Langeburg-based hire audio rental company, Klangschmiede.

Sound designer/engineer Gerd Drücker (mixing FOH on a Yamaha PM1D) used a Cohedra line array system from HK Audio, comprising 56 CDR 208 S/T mid/high units, along with between eight and 16 CDR 210 subwoofers, depending on the size of the venue. The main clusters consisted of 16 CDR 208 S/T each, with five flown CDR 208 Ts in the centre cluster.

Serving as front-fills were two VT 112 II F (12"/2") cabs from HK'

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UK - Indie combo Aqualung recently supported UK festival favourites, Feeder, for a series of dates on their UK arena tour kicking off at Glasgow NEC and including Wembley Arena. It was also one of the first ever outings for the brand new Verona console from Midas, officially launched at the NAMM show in January 2004. FOH engineer Tony Perretta and monitor man Roberto Pieroni (also house engineer at Fabric) took the opportunity to put the new Verona through its paces.

Perreta said: "I thought Verona was a great desk for many reasons, not the least of which, it's a Midas! It looks and feels like a Midas and, more importantly, it sounds like a Midas. It was a very easy transition from the larger desks, and I was pleased that while Verona is clearly designed to be a far more cost-effective option that its larger brothers and sisters, it retains all the traditional Midas qualiti

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Eire - Leading Irish AV company, CAVS (Corporate Audio Visual Services) has just invested in a new Heritage 3000 console to add to their already considerable Midas inventory. During 2003 alone, CAVS purchased two 40-channel Midas Legend 3000s and 30 Venice consoles of various frame sizes from Midas's distributor in Ireland, Dublin-based Sound Communications.

According to Sound Communications' Alan Murphy, CAVS's acquisition of the Heritage 3000 bears witness to the company's continuing expansion into high-end audio in both the corporate and concert sound markets. "Over the past three years CAVS has invested hugely in updating their audio inventory and is now reaping the benefits both in terms of customer satisfaction and the quality of work coming their way. CAVS is now definitely a major league player in the Irish AV market."

CAVS managing director Fran Quigley sees

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International - Gilbert Briggs produced his first loudspeaker in the Yorkshire valley of the River Wharfe over 70 years ago: now the Wharfedale brand is part of a multinational corporation with a wholly-owned, 500,000sq.ft manufacturing facility in China. In fact, in many ways, the International Audio Group (IAG) could claim to provide a prototype business model for all consumer and professional manufacturing across both lighting and sound - as the 21st century gets into its political and economic stride.

The group comprises Wharfedale, Quad, Topaz and Apogee Lighting, and at his HQ in Huntingdon, UK, MD Steve Woolley is afraid of neither politics nor economics. As Karl Marx would have appreciated, the IAG owns the means of production. The factory it has built - not leased - near Hong Kong features wood and metal shops, tooling and plastic injection plants, and a mineral-free co

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UK / USA / France - Leading UK manufacturer and RF specialist Trantec has appointed two new international distributors - Group One in the USA and Best Audio in France. Both companies will handle Trantec's entire portfolio of advanced radio products, which offers sophisticated radio solutions for the most challenging contemporary audio applications.

Trantec's legendary radio microphone systems include the award winning S5000 and most recently the acclaimed S6000 with its advanced, user-friendly features, all of which have been specifically designed for the professional user. Other Trantec products, including the S10 Soundfield system and PT1 Personal Trainer, offer solutions for leisure, conferencing, education and ecclesiastical markets.

Farmingdale, NY-based Group One's appointment follows shortly after Trantec's S6000 made its mark in the US, scooping an EDDY Award in the

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USA - DiGiCo and Soundtracs will share the spotlight on booth #2808 at the NSCA Convention in Las Vegas (19-21 March) with a live linkup between a DiGiCo D5 FMX and a Soundtracs DS-00 - showing how efficiently live and recorded sound can be handled on a single, integrated digital system. The two console systems share a common software platform and MADI digital interfaces, and employ identical file formats.

"We intended from day one that the two systems should be able to work seamlessly together," says DiGiCo LLC CEO Eric Wade. "This allows a live and recording production - such as a large TV music show - to be mixed live at both front-of-house and monitors on the D5 FMX system, sharing a common fibre loop, while being recorded through a Soundtracs DS-00 on the same loop. The benefits are a completely stable gain structure, total freedom from ground buzzes or other

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UK - The leafy environs and mock-Tudor mansions of the Surrey stockbroker belt are home to more than a few rock and pop stars and music industry moguls. It's also home to an ambitious fledgling loudspeaker manufacturer which is starting to raise eyebrows in the industry.

Operating out of a converted fire station, Instigate Media and its loudspeaker division EM Acoustics were set up in 2002 by partners Ed Kinsella and Mike Wheeler on their graduation from Cambridge and Imperial College universities respectively.

"While at University, we were both quite extensively involved with sound systems one way and another and it seemed to us that people should be able to get elegant, acoustically excellent loudspeakers without breaking the bank," says Wheeler. "We didn't want to blow the lid off the market either, rather get back to something more simple. Our thinking was t

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UK - Following the resurrection of RCF Spa by Arturo Vicari, the company will be exhibiting at the at ISCEx 2004 exhibition, which is being held at the Watford Moat House in Watford on Tuesday, 24 February. RCF's Phil Price explained the reason for such an early move back into the public domain: "ISCE 2004 gives us the opportunity to meet with key people within the commercial audio systems sector. It will give them an opportunity to see that RCF is firmly back in the UK. We will of course be showing the new updates to the Monitor Series, Monitor 33, 44 and 55, which now include a multi-purpose wall bracket. We will also show some examples from the Commercial Audio catalogue such as the PL80A and PL81A high quality, easy-install ceiling speakers, plus some presentations on our RX3000 Digital PA Controlled Zone Paging System."

Price added: "Customers should note tha

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UK - Tyco Integrated Systems (TIS), a division of Tyco Fire & Security, has installed a specially designed PA and emergency messaging system to help Marks & Spencer operate more efficiently and communicate with both its staff and customers in one of its major retail stores. This retail PA system is one of the most advanced of its type and features multiple-zone voice messaging facilities with pre-recorded emergency and general messages, staff call stations and background music in selected areas such as the CD sales area.

The system was especially designed by TIS to meet the needs of the new Castle Point store in Bournemouth and follows TIS's success in providing PA systems to many other large retail stores including some 22 other Marks & Spencer stores throughout the UK. It includes 130 ceiling speakers and 13 wall speakers across six zones on several floors. Each zone is indepe

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USA - Sound systems featuring Funktion One, MC2 Audio and XTA Electronics products have been installed in two new US night venues, in New York and Las Vegas. Both systems were designed by Dan Agne of Sound Investment.

Cielo, in New York, has been described as a 'techno log cabin'. It's loudspeaker system - Funktion One's AX-88 and F218 speakers along with a pair of its Infrabass subwoofer cabs - is driven by MC2 Audio's T2000 and MC1250 amplifiers, with control from an XTA DP226 digital system controller.

Way out west, meanwhile, Ice is the newest night venue in Las Vegas, and aims to maintain an emphasis on music: with this in mind, the 30ft x 30ft main floor features a four-point Dance Stack Ultra speaker system from Funktion One, with MC2 Audio's T2000 and T1500 amplifiers driving the mids and highs, control by four XTA DP226s.

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UK - Soundcraft's flagship multipurpose live performance desk, the MH4, has become even more versatile thanks to the introduction of a new version of its mono input module. The new input expands the use of the aux buses by adding true mono/stereo configurations to take maximum advantage of the desk's 16 auxiliary buses, giving configurations of 16 mono, 12 mono/2 stereo or 8 mono/4 stereo mixes.

The MH4 has become widely adopted because of its ability to handle even the most demanding live sound mixing, and for its capacity to operate as a fully-featured FOH or monitor desk, or as a combination of both. This new aux function makes the multi-mode desk even more flexible than previously thought possible. The updated module now ships as standard in MH4s, and existing consoles may be upgraded through the purchase of new modules.

Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, Soundcra

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Spain - We Will Rock You, the hit musical from Queen and Ben Elton, opened its third production at the Teatro Calderon in Madrid last November. Produced and directed by Luis Alvarez and lit by award-winning LD Willie Williams, with a rig supplied by Fourth Phase. Set design is by Mark Fisher and sound design by Bobby Aitken, formerly of Autograph but now freelance.

Williams, best known for his work in the music industry, most notably his close and ongoing collaboration with U2, revised his designs for the London and Melbourne productions after lighting We Will Rock You in Madrid. The rig uses a range of kit from manufacturers including ETC, Martin Professional, High End Systems and DHA Lighting.

Fourth Phase London supplied the lighting, along with full technical support and backup. Martin Chisnall - the production electrician from the London show - oversaw the Madrid installa

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Crest Performance, a division of Crest Audio, kicked off a swathe of install products with the 4-channel, 6-input CJ/4 desktop DJ mixer. The CJ/4 allows DJs to listen to their effects on both the cue and main signal in their headphones before sending them to the main outputs.

The rotary-style CP-6210 program music mixer, an update of classic mixer designs, and its companion CP-6220 expander/crossfader, use the same components found in Crest Audio's top-of-the-range FOH consoles. Both are designed for use in either installation or portable applications such as nightclubs, DJ racks, restaurants and rental rigs.

The CPS-1203 is a full-spectrum enhancement system that produces strong low end, while adding clarity and definition to most audio sources. Applications range from individual mixer channels to live mixes of pre-recorded audio.

The CPT Series of loudspeakers claim "crisp h

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JBL announced the introduction of the budget JRX100 series "for musicians, DJs and other users of live sound reinforcement speakers", and anyone who might truly appreciate a new dual-angle pole socket. This allows the speaker to be mounted either vertically or with a 10° down angle - aiming for more audience and less reflective wall.

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The Verona series has been designed by the team responsible for the Heritage 3000 and XL4, and comprises six models ranging from 24 up to 64 inputs with all the features and components associated with the brand. It has a new mic amp design with high CMR performance, and every channel offers swept 4-band EQ. The rigid chassis is built for both touring and fixed installation.

The consoles are configurable for either FOH or monitor use, the Group/Aux changeover switch allowing the choice of any combination of the aux outputs to be controlled via a 100mm fader including insert point. This flexibility is supported by the front panel Aux EQ defeat switch - when pressed, any auxes assigned pre fader will be sent pre EQ.

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With a mix of new blood and old hands at the company, and a big push into Europe, Furman expanded its line of Balanced Power products with the high-end IT-Reference model into the IT-Series. A variation of the IT-1220, IT-Reference has individual windings which provide total isolation for each set of outlets. It also includes unique Power Correction Circuitry which gives power amplifiers and powered speakers more powerful dynamics with a speed and clarity unattainable with normal wall power. Additionally, the soundstage is deepened, widened and focused.

The PL-8 and PL-Plus Series II Power conditioners feature Furman's Series Mode Protection (SMP) circuit and Linear Filter Technology (LiFT), comprising advanced and comprehensive transient voltage surge suppressor technology.

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Audio-Technica's Midnight Blues range of microphones (pictured right) for vocals and instruments begat a new generation, based on the original series, with four new mics featuring high-output and low handling noise via proprietorial anti-shock engineering. Each is of all-metal construction.

The four models are: the MB1k unidirectional dynamic vocal mic; MB2k unidirectional dynamic instrument mic; MB3k unidirectional dynamic vocal mic; and MB4k cardioid condenser mic. The MB2k, MB3k, and MB4k have a soft-touch finish for a secure grip and low mechanical noise, plus a protective pouch to store or transport the mic. All models are available with an optional (15ft) XLRM cable.

The MB1k is designed for lead, backing or choral vocals, featuring Audio-Technica's 'Hi-Energy' neodymium magnet structure for maximum output and fast transient response, 'Magna-Lock' switch design for silent on-

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The IAG Group showed current models of Wharfedale's EVP-S, VS, LixC and Systems products, presenting them in detail to new and existing dealers to consolidate the work carried out by the reps over the past year. Newer models include the electronic-based PM System, PM mixers, MP power amps and BX mixers.

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It began with Midas. The very fact that Midas chose this year's winter NAMM show to mount the worldwide launch of the Verona console indicated two things. Firstly, the company's redoubtable management duo of Dave Cooper and David Wiggins will use any platform to dress up in costume and do a 'turn'. This time around, it was as The Blues Brothers, somewhat strangely but engagingly rubbing shoulders with character lookalikes from The Matrix who patrolled the ceiling - it was the Xelias Aerial Acrobatic Company, after all - even as Elmore and Jake took the floor.

Secondly, significant sound reinforcement product announcements are now as much a part of this show as they are of Frankfurt's ProLight+Sound beano - which itself grew out of the MusikMesse's MI roots. Perhaps NAMM - busier this year than for several - could begin to steal a march on the German show's pro audio pretensions, as a p

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The new SLX Wireless Systems are aimed at installed sound applications and working bands. They have Shure's patented Audio Reference Companding technology, along with automatic synchronization and support for up to 12 compatible systems per frequency band (country dependent). Features include Utilising Auto Frequency Selection and Auto Transmitter Setup, allowing the system to scan the landscape for clear channels. The transmitter then syncs automatically with the receiver frequency via an infrared link.

The bodypack transmitter works with headworn, lavalier and instrument mics and cables, while the hand-held transmitters are offered with SM58, SM86, Beta 58A, Beta 87A, and Beta 87C capsules.

Shure has also added the E3 sound-isolating earphones to its E Series in-ear earphones, designed for personal monitor systems and portable listening devices. Plus, in March, the hardwired SM86 v

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UK - Sound Division recently provided sound, lighting, effects and DJ services for 40th anniversary celebrations of the promotion of the French food and wine industry in the UK. Hosted by Sopexa, an agency that specializes in marketing and PR for the French food and wine industry, the event was held at the Commonwealth club in London and targeted 200 industry professionals including journalists, importers and buyers as well as officials from the French embassy in London.

According to Sound division's Chris Baxter, who designed the system, this was one of Sound Division's more unusual events. "We do a lot of work in the corporate market, but I've never worked with quite so much food and drink on display that was not meant for consumption!" He continues: "I enjoyed the challenge, because lighting the food displays took some considerable expertise to create the right

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Crown unveiled the all-new I-Tech Series as the new flagship amplifier series for the touring and corporate PA markets. All models are just 2U and weigh less than 28lbs/12.7kg, have rugged chassis designed 'for the road' and feature Crown's patented Class-I switching output for more power and less heat.

They have Crown's global regulated power supply, delivering full power regardless of AC mains voltage - from 120V to 277V and from 50Hz to 60Hz. Power Factor Correction (PFC) allows I-Tech to draw current from the mains more efficiently, providing more power from a single 20A breaker. The Class-I output and power supply promise the highest output voltage available, and a clearly audible difference through the speakers.

The Xs 1200 was also added to the Xs Series of power amplifiers, becoming the highest-powered model in the series. It provides 1,100W per channel into 4ohms and is desi

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UK - Pro audio manufacturer Allen & Heath held a presentation last week to commend several members of staff who have been employees of the company for 20 years or more. The honours list comprised design manager Carey Davies, PCB supervisor Winnie Gerred, product tester Mandy Berry, SMT production engineer Mike Cock and production manager Chris Abbott. The selected members were presented with personalized gifts of their own choice, including jewellery, commemorative coins and a guitar.

Allen & Heath relocated to Cornwall in 1981 from premises in London. The presentation coincides with the company's 35th anniversary, which it plans to celebrate later in the year. "In the modern era of job mobility, somebody who has committed 20 years or more to the same company is a valued employee and should be recognized as such," commented managing director, Glenn Rogers. "Allen

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BBE launched the MaxCom compressor/limiter/noise gate; the Max-X3 stereo 2-way crossover, also a mono 3-way crossover; and the Max-X2 stereo 2-way crossover. Each contains the BBE Sonic Maximizer circuit, plus the Sonic Maximizer process - as used in BBE's 482i and 882i Sonic Maximizer processors. They come with a solid steel chassis and faceplate, and a two-year warranty.
  1. Crest Audio
  2. Mackie
  3. Freret joins American Audio
  4. QSC Audio
  5. EAW
  6. Soundcraft
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