Sound

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Switzerland - From 23 July to 6 September this year, Heidi, the Musical premiered against the idyllic backdrop of Lake Walensee, Switzerland. Audio design was handled by sound designer Thomas Strebel, Switzerland's 'Mr. Musical'. As his main rig for the gig, Thomas selected the HK Audio's COHEDRA Compact sound reinforcement system, a system with which he had already grown familiar on several prior occasions.

Christian Kraska from Swiss HK Audio distributor, SDS Music Factory, lent his support to Swiss sound company Hyposound during the planning stage with the CAPS software as well as during installation of the system. In the process, there were several hurdles to overcome, as the very wide stage was located directly on the banks of Lake Walensee. Temperature fluctuations, high humidity, rain and wind had to be taken into consideration throughout the planning stages. As it

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UK - ProdyTel has announced a reduction of 35% off its S-Cluster system, which has recently been successful in securing a series of major orders, say the company. The systems are to be installed throughout the German Railway network after a pilot project was conducted by tramway operator SSB in Stuttgart earlier this year. ProdyTel say: "SSB were so impressed that they are due to update their complete audio communication system to S-Cluster technology in 2006."

One of the very first S-Cluster installations was the Metro system in Athens, which was completed just in time for the Olympic Games. The S-Cluster encoders and output boxes are now streaming train times, background music and security alerts to stations via a fibre optic network. S-Cluster system can also stream audio using Mpeg 4s and aptX over a standard IP Network (TCP-IP).

"This is great news", c

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Canary Islands - The Synco Europe Network audio rental franchise has a new member, with the announcement that RS Sonocom SL of Grand Canaria has become the first Synco Network member in the Canary Islands. Sonocom, based near the resort of Maspalomas, provides professional audio, video and lighting sales, installations and rental. The company, run by brothers (all electronics graduates) Eduardo, Paulo and Oliver Armas, has been in business for 15 years and operates throughout the Canary Islands.

Under the agreement Sonocom has already taken delivery of 24 cabinets of Synco W8LC line array cabinets by Martin Audio, along with a complete Synco standard set of processors, flying and rigging hardware, flightcases, cabling and wheel boards. The Synco Network is also providing comprehensive training to Soncom's technicians and sound engineers.

The deal was inspired by a fast growing

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The Netherlands - Bosch Security Systems has announces a number of additions to its DCN Digital Congress System, making it "the most complete and versatile system of its kind available on the market today" according to the company. Key improvements include a chairman 'free-seating' facility, high-speed optical cable connection, graphical display of all language character types, and microphones which are "immune to interference from mobile cell phones" - a new technology for which Bosch says it has filed a patent.

DCN Next Generation has been designed and developed in close consultation with congress delegates, interpreters and operators. As a result, the system is suitable for a wide range of applications ranging from straightforward discussion groups to multi-lingual congresses with thousands of delegates. The system allows delegates to choose the floor lang

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UK - Vieta's DO-5 full-range loudspeakers have been chosen for installation in a unique visitor attraction, the newly-renovated Castle Jail in Lincoln Castle, which is the only surviving Victorian institution of its kind in Europe. Vieta earned its extended stay in prison at the hands of FT-AV, an established AV company based in Harrogate in north Yorkshire, which was asked to design and specify a complete audio system for the Jail prior to its opening as a site of historic interest for tourists, 127 years after the last inmate left the prison.

Castle Jail required an interactive audio-visual system, utilizing multiple projection, audio sources, all within definable as well as combinable zones, to be purpose-designed and built together with a specially programmed computer system for overall control. FT-AV's owner and MD Rick Lawson maintains that "the real challenge was the

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Belgium - EML Productions has used its new Apex IX 48 Intelli-X speaker management systems for a major live event featuring Jean-Michel Jarre, staged in Antwerp to mark the opening of the new Eurocam Media Center. The Eurocam Media Center will form an important cluster of companies involved with High Definition Television (HDTV). Housing several media companies, together with eight television and movie studios on site, the Center will be one of the most important infrastructures for television and movie recording in the Benelux.

At its official inauguration, attended by Belgium's prime minister Guy Verhofstadt, a huge live event was staged in the main television studio owned by Alfacam. Live HDTV feeds were set up all over the world for musical performances by Belgian rock group Novastar and percussion artist Meloritmo. The highlight of the TV show, which was broadcast live on H

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Switzerland - Swiss acoustic design company Studio Equipment, run by industry veteran Terry Nelson, has been using its extensive Klark Teknik inventory on a number of recent high-profile projects. Promotion for Robbie Williams' new album Intensive Care kicked off with a live cinecast from Berlin. The event was played in over 23 cinemas and venues across Europe, the largest venue being the 4,000-capacity Palladium in Cologne, a converted cable factory which has been converted to a cultural centre.

Studio Equipment was mandated by Shooting Partners UK, who handled the technical organisation of the transmission, to supervise the sound for the Palladium event. Left-Centre-Right signals were created via a TriField decoder from the stereo mix coming from Berlin, then the Left-Centre-Right-Sub bass outputs were fed into a DN9344 Helix slave for system EQ and final adjustments to

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UK - DiGiCo/Soundtracs Limited has won a Queen's Awards for Enterprise for innovation in the design of their D5 Live series of digital mixing consoles. Among the UK's most prestigious awards for business performance, the Queen's Awards recognise outstanding achievement by UK companies in trade, innovation and sustainable development.

The Grant of Appointment and Award was presented to DiGiCo's managing director Bob Doyle at a special ceremony at Buckingham Palace. The award recognizes DiGiCo's commitment to extensive research into the requirements of live audio engineers, culminating in the ground-breaking mixing console design that is now synonymous with the DiGiCo name.

Amongst the key features that clinched the judges' decision were the intuitive user interface, small size and light weight, an almost halving of power consumption compared to its analogue counterparts, as wel

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Korea - Sound Projects reports that its Korean distributor Sound Solution has gained a strong position in the country's PA market by installing its sound systems in several large theatres and churches and by delivering systems for important events.

For the Performing Art Center of Hanbad National University, Sound Solution installed a fixed installation in the Harmony Hall. This 909-seat auditorium can stage performances of virtually any size, including grand opera: the stage can accommodate 200 performers at once. The university decided to install a powered sound system for consistency and reliability, and Sound Projects system was selected by the client "because it combined smooth music reproduction as well as very clear voice production from one and the same system without the need of any intervening equalisation," say Sound Solutions.

The installation consists of

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UK - Allen & Heath has upgraded the WZ20S - the stereo model - in its compact best-selling MixWizard range to WZ³ status, joining the WZ³16:2, WZ³12:2 and WZ³14:4:2.

The new WZ³20S benefits from several design improvements, including a new mic preamp, advanced grounding scheme, more responsive 4-band EQ, and the addition of a dedicated mono output fader for use as a mono sum of LR, or as the aux6 master - ideal for aux-fed subs and dedicated Centre mixes. The dual stereo channels now have a sub-panel switch, which allows the TRS 'A' inputs to route direct to the LR buss, plus, the 'B' inputs have been upgraded to XLR.

Designed for mixing multiple stereo sources, the WZ³20S retains 4 mono mic/line channels, 8 dual stereo input channels and 2 stereo return inputs - providing a total of 44 connections and 22 sources to the mix - which makes the mixer ideal for applications

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UK - The UK leg of the White Stripes tour rolled out across the country in November, with the SSE Audio Group providing both FOH engineer Matthew Kettle and monitor engineer Neil Heal with their desk of choice - the Midas XL4 - as it has done for all European shows this year.

The live show is a theatrical blend of vintage equipment and instruments such as marimbas, timpani, push-button bells, mandolin, grand piano, various keyboards and guitar rig which Jack moves between during his performance, while Meg works her way around the drum kit. In such a setting the analogue aesthetic of the XL4 is entirely suited to both the FOH and the onstage mix. Not only does the band not stick to a set list, they can play the same song on a different instrument on any given night.

"I keep a really functional mix, which is why I still use an analogue desk," says Kettle. "It also

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UK - Audio Design Services has agreed to contribute a nominal sum for all fixed installations of its Induction Loop and Infrared systems towards the cost of the training and support of a 'Hearing Dog' - a dog trained to provide help for profoundly deaf people - currently around £5,000.

David Hopkins OBE, chairman of Audio Design Services, said that he had been so impressed by a demonstration of a 'Hearing Dog' at his local Rotary Club that the idea of supporting the charity through his company's electronic systems for deaf people was born. Since the 1995 Disability Discrimination Act had compelled companies and authorities to provide such aids there had been a general shift from voluntary support to more of a 'grudge' purchase. It seemed sensible to bring the plight of deaf people to the public's attention and this was one way that Audio Design could help, says Hopkins.

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USA - Symetrix, a leading provider of signal processing technology for the installed sound market, announces the latest upgrade to its SymNet Network Audio DSP platform - SymNet Designer Version 6.0. The primary focus of the new release is the addition of Acoustic Echo Cancelling (AEC) functionality to the SymNet platform, say the company. This process operates entirely within SymNet's onboard DSP and requires no outboard cards or additional hardware. The system is capable of running up to eight channels of AEC in any of the SymNet family DSP devices.

As with previous upgrades and additions to the SymNet toolkit, Acoustic Echo Cancelling is offered as a series of software modules that can be added to a SymNet design at any time based on the system application. Included modules perform at three different bandwidths for use in telephone conferencing, video conferencing, and wideba

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UK - Wigwam Hire has made its first investment in Digidesign's new Venue digital mixing environment. The expandable system - comprising D-Show mixing console, FOH mix engine, stage rack I/O unit and multi-channel digital snake - has gone straight out on the Prodigy's UK tour at the request of the band's monitor engineer Joe Campbell.

Although Wigwam were an early adopter of digital desks, hire director Chris Hill said there were plenty of reasons for investing further: "Joe decided he wanted to use the Venue on Prodigy and another couple of projects we are working on have also expressed an interest," he said.

But he expected it to really come of age on the Spring 2006 tour of Westlife, who have expressed an interest in recording all their shows. Chris Hill confirmed that Steve Levitt of Production North (the band's production company) had been a major influence in th

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UK - Audio Design Services Ltd, has signed a distributor agreement with Auditel Limited - a British manufacturer of high quality conference, voting, interpretation/translation equipment and a revolutionary digital recording system - for the marketing or its comprehensive range of equipment.

Gary Sheppard, Chairman of Auditel, said that his company had built up a worldwide reputation providing bespoke systems for such venues as the Olympic Games and Greece, the Irish Parliament in Dublin, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and the United Nations African Conference in Addis Ababa. Gary went on to say that he had been looking for a quality company in the UK to increase market share. Having short listed ADSworldwide as a possible distributor, it was the professionalism on their display stand at the 2005 PLASA Exhibition that convinced Gary of his final choice. As ADSworldwide h

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UK - Software provider Stardraw.com has announced that the following capabilities have recently been added across the suite of Stardraw's design and documentation applications.

The first is Connection Scheduling. For some time, Cable and Dogleg objects, which show interconnections between products in the Schematic drawing environments, have had the ability to 'glue' to and move with symbols as they are repositioned. In Stardraw Audio and Stardraw A/V, their functionality has now been extended to identify the products they connect. This allows you to generate reports from schematic diagrams that tell you what device is connected to what, and via which cable, without the need for extraneous data entry - another big time-saver for contractors, say the company.

Default Line Width is an enhancement that boosts the legibility of printed output. Text appears much sharper, bolder and

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Ireland - Midas and Klark Teknik's Irish distributor Sound Communications has supplied a 32-channel Midas Legend console, a Midas Venice 240 console and assorted Klark Teknik processing to Radio City, a new music venue in Dublin. The Legend is the 25th large format console that Sound Communications has sold in the two years it has distributed Midas.

"This venue has been in the pipeline for two years, and Midas products were specified from the outset," says Alan Murphy of Sound Communications. "The initial order was for the Venice, and then as the project grew to encompass two venues they also ordered the Legend."

The Legend has been installed into the venue's main 500-capacity room while the Venice keeps engineers and crowds happy in a smaller acoustic room. "I'd already been using Midas on various projects and tours, and it was the obvious choice for

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UK - ADSworldwide has announced the introduction of new products. Two discreet ceiling loudspeakers have been introduced to meet the increasing requirement for aesthetic fixtures. Both the miniature and micro ceiling loudspeakers supplied by ADSworldwide are in keeping with modern design requirements. Similar to familiar 'eye ball' ceiling fittings these new units provide a good quality diffused sound, compatible with the ambience normally associated with low ceiling location such as reception areas.

The miniature unit comes with a special back enclosure making it ideal for such areas as swimming pool changing rooms where water and condensation are an issue. Competitively priced these attractive units are not only decorative but extremely effective as low level sound reproduction units.

Also new is a loudspeaker horn aimed at music applications as well as voice reproductions.

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UK - Cadac Electronics Plc has appointed Bob Thomas as its managing director with immediate effect, heading up the company as it expands its digital product base, alongside the acclaimed analogue range of Cadac live performance consoles. Formerly MD of TEAC (UK), Thomas now takes up this new post, as Clive Green formally retires after more than 37 years at the helm.

The appointment comes at an exciting time for Cadac, as Bob explains: "Throughout my audio career, I have known and respected Cadac products. Cadac is world famous for its sound quality and absolute commitment to putting audio performance before all else. It is therefore a great thrill to be invited by Clive Green to take over at a pivotal time for the company, with the first digital products now shipping in numbers and a ground breaking digital desk in advanced development. The prospect of leading one of the or

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UK - Quadrant Solutions, the Midlands-based visual communications company with five regional offices throughout the UK, has taken delivery of a 40-way Sennheiser Conference System. The SDC 3000 controls large conferences, with software that enables the configuration and control of the entire system via PC.

Quadrant Hire and Events director, David Carter, says: "Conference equipment hire is an expanding market for us and over the last 12 months we have seen a significant growth in this area. We have also noticed that the demands from our clients have become increasingly sophisticated, so it was time to replenish stocks. Since receiving this system we have already enjoyed success with large corporations and educational establishments where emphasis has always been on quality and reliability. Sennheiser fits right in with how we do things."

The SDC 3000 has an extensive

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UK - A stunning new multi-level restaurant and nightclub has opened on the seafront at Weston-super-Mare - on a landmark site that has previously housed Joe Montana's, Volts and latterly Stars. Now known as Seven VII, directors Vas and Nick Siangoplis and Michael Michaels (of Lazerlight Ltd) have already spent £1 million converting the sophisticated art deco ground floor, and will commence work on the other two floors after Christmas.

Named after the seven deadly sins, the first phase - designed by Nick Siangoplis - also features al-fresco, dining with freshly cooked food served in a conservatory and a terrace bar with large umbrellas and patio heaters.

Lazerlight has given equal priority to the sound and vision, entrusting Bristol-based Bristol Architectural Sound Services (BASS) with fitting a Martin Audio sound system. BASS's Mike Brice has split the ground floor into

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UK/South Africa - DPA has announced the appointment of Prosound as its South African distributor. Prosound's head office is based in Johannesburg, and the company also has offices in Durban, Cape Town and most recently, Dubai.

Established in 1973, Prosound has become a leading force in the Southern African professional audio industry. Providing services ranging from rental to full turnkey installations, the company deals with the pro audio industry right across the board, including live sound, broadcast, studios, education and places of worship.

Prosound has worked on projects across the Africa continent and as far afield as Albania and Mauritius and prides itself on providing world class engineering and systems solutions, from the smallest one-man band to the largest airport in Africa.

Prosound's sales and marketing manager Francois Lötter says: "Prosound has been rep

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UK - Audix has launched its new HT-5 omni-directional light, slimline headset microphone. The company say it is ideal for artists working in theatre, live sound, musicals and TV work.

It is designed to maintain high speech intelligibility without sounding hollow and harsh, while the ultra slim condenser microphone is unobtrusive. Audix say it has also made sure the headset is very comfortable adjusting for different head sizes and weighs just 1.1ounce (31grams). The flexible and durable steel frame includes a strain relief at the back of the frame to protect the microphone from damage.

The dual ear piece ensures it is stable on the head during dance routines. It has a flat response across the audio spectrum and an SPL handling of 140dB. It comes in either black or beige.

Available with either 3pin or 4 pin mini XLR. The Audix HT-5 is available now from Stirling Trading.

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  1. Aviom Audio Network at 10th National Games
  2. Nexo overcomes acoustic challenges
  3. Vieta Pro signs Mick Brophy
  4. Crest Audio - HP-W console
  5. Switchcraft appoints new Spanish distributor
  6. AV in Theatre - new kit from Stage Electrics
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