Sound

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UK - Deep Purple recently completed the UK leg of their world tour with support from guitar legend Peter Frampton and UK metal band, Thunder. ML Executives supplied audio equipment for the UK tour, while PRG supplied the lighting.

Engineering for Deep Purple was Doug Hall, long-time FOH engineer for Iron Maiden: "I first used this system on Iron Maiden's Brave New World tour about four years ago. I'd tried out different options, but the KF760 gave me everything I needed in terms of pressure, headroom and sonic quality. Being horn-loaded, it's more sensitive than competitive systems, and the slightly narrower dispersion means you can fly the boxes closer to each other without interference. Above all, I love the potency and clarity of the sound from such a small box. It has all the throw you need and I've never run out of headroom or felt I was overdriving the system. With De

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Japan - Cats, one of the most successful musicals to be staged in Japan, has returned with the Shiki theatre company to Tokyo after an eight-year absence. Shiki's Masakazu Kanamori explains: "This is an open-ended production; we are looking for it to run for approximately three years. Current ticket sales run up to November 2005."

The 1,900 capacity theatre, known as the Cats Theatre, was purpose-built, with construction beginning in July 2004. Interestingly, the central stage area is circular and not only the stage, but the first four rows of seating (360 seats) rotate as the performance commences.

Sound design for the production, managed by Masakazu Kanamori, took a year to complete and incorporates a large L-Acoustics sound reinforcement system. Kanamori explained: "We had successfully used the L-Acoustics ARCS speakers on the Cats tour of Japan and really l

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Japan - Cats, one of the most successful musicals to be staged in Japan, has returned with the Shiki theatre company to Tokyo after an eight-year absence. Shiki's Masakazu Kanamori explains: "This is an open-ended production; we are looking for it to run for approximately three years. Current ticket sales run up to November 2005."

The 1,900 capacity theatre, known as the Cats Theatre, was purpose-built, with construction beginning in July 2004. Interestingly, the central stage area is circular and not only the stage, but the first four rows of seating (360 seats) rotate as the performance commences.

Sound design for the production, managed by Masakazu Kanamori, took a year to complete and incorporates a large L-Acoustics sound reinforcement system. Kanamori explained: "We had successfully used theL-Acoustics ARCS speakers on the Cats tour of Japan and really lik

Details
UK - Deep Purple recently completed the UK leg of their world tour with support from guitar legend Peter Frampton and UK metal band, Thunder. ML Executives supplied audio equipment for the UK tour, while PRG supplied the lighting.

Engineering for Deep Purple was Doug Hall, long-time FOH engineer for Iron Maiden: "I first used this system on Iron Maiden's Brave New World tour about four years ago. I'd tried out different options, but the KF760 gave me everything I needed in terms of pressure, headroom and sonic quality. Being horn-loaded, it's more sensitive than competitive systems, and the slightly narrower dispersion means you can fly the boxes closer to each other without interference. Above all, I love the potency and clarity of the sound from such a small box. It has all the throw you need and I've never run out of headroom or felt I was overdriving the system. With De

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UK - Formula Sound launched its new FF-6000 mixer, which was designed in collaboration with leading UK loudspeaker manufacturer Funktion One, and the DJs who will be using it.

The six-channel FF-6000 includes features specifically requested by the DJs. These include: the option to switch between linear and rotary faders using an easily changeable extra fader panel, an easy-to-use cross-fader mounted beneath the channel strips for more precise control, larger control knobs on the most frequently used functions, and improved access to external effects so that users can use the very latest new effects units.

"The DJs and end users who helped us have had a major influence on the design of the FF-6000," says Formula Sound's Tony Cockell. "With the help of Funktion One we've been able to channel their thoughts and ideas and use them to produce the mixer which the DJs

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UK - New Year's Eve 2004 saw the British Airways London Eye become the focal point for a spectacular light and fireworks display for 150,000 Londoners on Westminster Bridge and the Embankment - plus a nationwide television audience.

Although tempered by news of the Asian Tsunami - a two-minute silence was held before the display and certain elements of the projection and light show were removed - the overall reaction from audience and press was that London had got this New Year's Eve event absolutely right. Jack Morton Worldwide (JMW) designed and produced the entertainment and managed the logistics for the event. JMW project director Jeremy Garbett and his team worked for months in advance to co-ordinate and accommodate the various council and public safety concerns.

Fireworks were obviously the major element of the show and French designer Christophe Berthonneau and his team from

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UK - Midway through fitting out a series of five nationwide Chicago Rock Cafés for Luminar Leisure in readiness for the busy Christmas season, it was the call from London that Lynx Lighting project manager Joules Newell was most interested in.

For 'London' is the name of the new super-flexible BSS Soundweb device, with improved DSP and CobraNet compatibility; having seen it previewed at PLASA back in September, Newell couldn't wait to get hold of the first delivery off the production line.

As soon as he had received confirmation that the BLU-80 was on its way, it immediately formed a key part of the new multimedia solution he had devised for Chicago Rock Café in Fareham. The advantages became immediately apparent. "In fact with so many Chicago Rocks to fit out before Christmas I wish I'd had it before," he lamented. "Not only does it sound great but it brings

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UK - "The festival has really changed focus in the last three years with the arrival of the new artistic director Susanna Eastburn," said Tim Garbutt of TG Events. "Different composers - in essence, the festival now concentrates on music composers; before, it was more on musical theatre."

Huddersfield Contemporary Music festival (HCMF) is "the ninth largest festival of its type in the world," says Garbutt, "and it attracts people from all over the world." As you might imagine, this is neither the most popular nor accessible form of music, but it does attract musicians and composers of the highest calibre.

From a presentation point of view, this is challenging stuff, and while lighting demands tend to the minimal, audio is a complex matter, to say the least. TG Events looks after all aspects of production for the festival, contracting loc

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UK - A curious amalgam, MPH '04 is The Motor Show with Top Gear attitude; but then with presenters Tiff Needell, Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond it would be (sharp intake of breath, adopt voice of God) 'like a B52 parking in your driveway'.

This was just the second year of the show at Earls Court, and already it's growing; PMI and Simon Aldridge appear to have brought a new and burgeoning marriage of live and static presentation into the exhibition world, a marriage that will surely have others looking frantically for an eligible partner.

Steve Sinclair has been part of the presentation team for the past two events and describes the differences between this and conventional car expo: "Some content elements appear familiar, there's a gallery of 90 or so vehicles, sponsored by HR Owens, but these aren't ordinary cars; we're talking testosterone motoring Ferraris and Mas

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UK - "The festival has really changed focus in the last three years with the arrival of the new artistic director Susanna Eastburn," said Tim Garbutt of TG Events. "Different composers - in essence, the festival now concentrates on music composers; before, it was more on musical theatre."Huddersfield Contemporary Music festival (HCMF) is "the ninth largest festival of its type in the world," says Garbutt, "and it attracts people from all over the world." As you might imagine, this is neither the most popular nor accessible form of music, but it does attract musicians and composers of the highest calibre.

From a presentation point of view, this is challenging stuff, and while lighting demands tend to the minimal, audio is a complex matter, to say the least. TG Events looks after all aspects of production for the festival, contracting local

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UK - The Brighton Centre is not the ideal venue to see a solo artist's performance! Despite this and the fact that Gabs' voice was showing obvious signs of strain towards the end of the gig (it was the final date on a long tour) she was enthusiastically received and her performance was confident and polished.

However, Gabrielle's vocal range is very dynamic, as FOH engineer Chris 'Privet' Hedge explained while he talked me through the system design for the PA: "New for me are the two units of KT Helix - the 9340 digital EQ and 9344 digital slave EQ. The 9340 is on Gabs' vocal - her style sometimes means her voice can be soft and difficult to get out: once I knew what I was dealing with I put a few things in line. This includes a DBX162s compressor putting a really soft squeeze on her voice, and a feedback buster - the Sabine FBX 1200. I then use the Helix to tidy up beyond

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UK - The Brighton Centre is not the ideal venue to see a solo artist's performance! Despite this and the fact that Gabs' voice was showing obvious signs of strain towards the end of the gig (it was the final date on a long tour) she was enthusiastically received and her performance was confident and polished.

However, Gabrielle's vocal range is very dynamic, as FOH engineer Chris 'Privet' Hedge explained while he talked me through the system design for the PA: "New for me are the two units of KT Helix - the 9340 digital EQ and 9344 digital slave EQ. The 9340 is on Gabs' vocal - her style sometimes means her voice can be soft and difficult to get out: once I knew what I was dealing with I put a few things in line. This includes a DBX162s compressor putting a really soft squeeze on her voice, and a feedback buster - the Sabine FBX 1200. I then use the Helix to tidy up beyond

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UK - Soundcraft has reintroduced the Urei name on a range of DJ mixers designed for both the traditional House market and the Turntablist performance sector. Originally created in the 1970's with the 1620, the UREI range was a rotary-based mixer for the House sector, making its reputation initially on the New York scene, at the heart of the control centre that was Larry Levan's DJ booth at The Paradise Garage.

First to be re-launched is an updated version, the limited edition Urei 1620LE. Tempting though it was to totally re-engineer it, Soundcraft has kept the original circuits and components while engineering it for enhanced reliability. Slight modifications to the circuit layout have been made to minimize noise. With all the sonic qualities retained, users will experience the authentic rotary feel of the 1620, while the panel layout remains as intuitive today as it did in the

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USA - After nearly a decade of dedication, DJ Josh One has successfully broken into the big-time DJ scene with a distinctive style called 'Soul Hop'. His club hit 'Contemplation' has brought his trademark sound to international audiences, and quickly hitting number one on the German club charts. Josh One has been working hard in his studio on an upcoming album, using a pair of new Tapco S*5 active studio monitors. "These speakers are perfect for a compact set-up like mine," he says. "I recently moved from my old studio, so all I have right now is my Mac G5 laptop and the S*5s. They completely fill up my space with sound. They are such a solid monitor and so easy to move around, that I've been using them non-stop since I got my hands on them five months ago."

Currently in production on his next album due out late 2005, Josh One has been working exclusively wi

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UK - FX Cimple Solutions, the service and repair arm of the FX Group, has been appointed the official warranty and non-warranty service centre for Akai by the Japanese manufacturer's new UK distributor, Numark Alesis Europe. Under the terms of the new agreement, FX Cimple Solutions will also operate as the Akai spare parts and logistics warehouse.

"Cimple Solutions is delighted to confirm this new appointment," says director Cliff Whitehead. "We can now get on with the task of servicing the equipment which has been building up while Akai's new UK sales and distribution company was confirmed."

Although the appointment of FX Cimple Solutions by Numark Alesis Europe is new, the company has been servicing Akai equipment for over a decade. Since Akai stopped being represented by Arbiter a few months ago, all warranty work had been suspended, and Whitehead is ple

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UK - RW Salt Communications has announced the passing away of John Smither, its regional sales manager for the Midlands and South of England. Smither, who had been with the company for five years, had been ill since May 2004 and passed away peacefully on 11 January.

A greatly respected figure in the industry, as well as being a key member of the RWS team since 1999 John Smither had previously represented Eagle, TOA and Millbank throughout the UK and during this time built up a close relationship with all of his clients based on his technical experience, his vast product and industry knowledge and his honesty and integrity. He will be greatly missed by his family, his friends and his colleagues past and present, say the company.

(Lee Baldock)

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UK / USA - Software provider Stardraw.com announced its most significant US expansion to date, with the establishment of a West Coast office in partnership with US distribution specialists, North American Pro Audio (NAPA). The move follows an extraordinary year for Stardraw, which has necessitated the provision of additional resources to serve and develop the US market. The partnership with NAPA, operating as Stardraw.com USA, will look after all Stardraw's customers within the US, Canada and Puerto Rico, and manage resellers and reps in the territory with effect from 1 January 2005.

In addition to handling all sales and front-line technical support, Stardraw.com USA will offer a comprehensive schedule of user training seminars across the US for 2005. Furthermore, support through Stardraw's toll-free number has now been expanded to operate between the hours of 9am Eastern to 6pm

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Italy - Allen & Heath's iDR DSP system has been installed in a new top fashion retail outlet opened by Spinazzè, in Noventa di Piave in the north-east of Italy. The owners requested a modern, cutting-edge system that would also be easy to manage by store staff. Salgareda-based Elettrostudio, was entrusted with the management of the audio installation, selecting Allen & Heath's iDR system and accompanying PL Series of remote controllers through the manufacturer's Italian distributor, Grisby Music srl.

There are six zones in the venue where the audio must be distributed - men's, women's, and children's departments, the admin offices, the dressing rooms, and the concourse outside the shop. Elettrostudio programmed the iDR system using the iDR System Manager and PL Designer software.

During opening hours, a music source is selected from CD, radio, or MP3 (via a PC). The iDR is pr

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Germany - Camco, the manufacturer of amplifiers for sound reinforcement and installed sound, is to add EtherSound connectivity to its entire product range. The optional EtherSound modules will be showcased as early as April 2005 at the ProLight+Sound trade show in Frankfurt. This short time to market is possible thanks to a close collaboration with AuviTran, an Authorized EtherSound Implementor, who will provide hardware modules and development services to Camco. EtherSound is an industry standard technology for audio networking developed, patented, and licensed by Digigram, which enables real-time audio networks using standard Ethernet cabling and components.

Reiner Sassmann, Camco managing director, is enthusiastic about using EtherSound technology: "Without a doubt, EtherSound is technologically the leading standard for audio over Ethernet in the pro audio industry. It

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USA - Loud Technologies Inc, the developer and marketer of the Mackie, EAW, EAW Commercial and Tapco pro audio brands, has announced a cross-licensing agreement with Egosys Inc (ESI). Under the terms of the agreement, ESI will license Mackie Tracktion digital audio workstation software, as well as Mackie-branded plug-in products from Loud.

As part of this agreement, ESI will immediately begin bundling Mackie-branded software products with their PCI and FireWire audio and MIDI devices. This bundle will include Mackie Tracktion, the easy-to-use digital recording and MIDI production software; as well as Final Mix, the stereo mastering plug-in originally developed for the award-winning Digital 8·Bus console.

"Combining ESI's value-oriented audio hardware with Tracktion's ease-of-use and functionality creates great packages for users wanting to get the most from their digit

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UK - Baldwin Boxall has launched a unique disabled refuge system, the Vigil CommuniCare range. The new-look Disabled Refuge remote unit, CommuniCare Advance, is launched to coincide with the new Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) which took effect in October 2004. The new remote unit takes the development of the popular Vigil CommuniCare disabled refuge system to the next level with new and exciting features. These features include Braille and luminescent raised text on the front panel for the visually impaired. For the hearing impaired, the unit has a built in induction loop, reflecting Baldwin Boxall's commitment to the emergency communication market. The unit is initialized by the Fire Detection System to prevent any misuse of the system.

A further development for the CommuniCare Advance range is planned for the near future, say the company. The unit will include capabiliti

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UK / USA - Software providers Stardraw.com has announced that support for Global Caché's GC-100 series of network adaptors has been incorporated into their new application, Stardraw Control. Global Caché, based in Southern Oregon, is dedicated to producing low-cost, state-of-the-art products to enable technology in the home environment. The award-winning GC-100 Network Adaptor provides the means for PC-based control, automation and management software to access, control and deliver services in a networked home to diverse and previously unconnected devices and appliances.

Stardraw Control is exactly that - a software-based application designed expressly to control systems that contain diverse products. It generates standalone, customized control programs that can manage and monitor any type of addressable equipment from any manufacturer using any protocol over any communicatio

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UK - The Institute of Sound and Communications Engineers (ISCE) has announced continued interest in the forthcoming ISCEx 2005 exhibition and conference, with another four companies - Allen & Heath, PC Werth, Sennheiser and Shure - signing up to the show. This brings to 24 the number of participating companies at the show, which takes place at the Watford Moat House Hotel on Tuesday, 22 February.

The full technical programme promises cutting-edge seminars from leading industry experts. Subjects covered include Audio over TCP/IP, Wireless Microphone RF Pitfalls, Test Instruments for Room Acoustical Analysis, Update on Induction Loop Systems and The Basics of Fibre Optics. Last year there was standing room only at several sessions, say the organizers.

Tickets, including free parking, refreshments and VAT, cost £5 for the exhibition alone and £50 (£60 for non-ISCE members)

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USA - Crown International today announced the launch of the Commercial Audio Series with the introduction of the 180MA and 280MA mixer-amplifiers. Larry Baker, Director of Marketing for Installed Sound at Crown commented on the introduction: "We're excited about the opportunity to introduce to the commercial audio market a line of products built upon Crown's legendary commitment to excellence. We took our time and listened to what customers in this market said they needed, and we believe the Crown Commercial Audio Series reflects the fact that we paid attention."

The Crown 180MA and 280MA are high-value mixer-amplifiers for commercial and industrial audio. They provide 4-ohm and constant-voltage outputs (70V and 100V). The line is targeted toward applications including schools, hospitals, factories, restaurant/retail, houses of worship, fitness facilities, A/V boardro

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