Sound

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UK - Denon DJ is sponsoring the prime category in this year's Trance Awards 2006 (powered by Trackitdown.net) - for the Best DJ. The Trance Awards 2006 is a celebration of the best in the world of trance over the past 12 months. Featuring 15 categories - voted for by the public via online portal www.tranceawards.com - the Trance Awards 2006 is set to be the biggest date on the global trance calendar.

Promoted by premier dance music download portal www.trackitdown.net, alongside Godskitchen (promoters of the 50,000 capacity Global Gathering festival), Mixmag and TV channel MTV Dance, this year's Trance Awards features partnerships with some of the biggest players in dance.

With last year's debut awards seeing thousands of votes coming in from over 100 countries, and with the ceremony taking place at south coast super club Slinky, this year's awards already features a star studd

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USA - Every engineer looks for a piece of outboard gear that can make their job easier by just plugging it into the recording chain. Pete Matthews found more than one when he discovered API mic pres and equalizers early on in his recording career.

"The more records you do the more you realize that certain mic pres are better for certain instruments," he says. "A guitar track might call for something, a vocal for something else, but as far as drums I don't think there's another mic pre out there that can match the 512.

"I've never seen a mic pre with more headroom," he continues. "They are amazing. And with the transient signals involved with drums, you really need a fast, high headroom mic pre."

Matthews has worked with an assortment of musicians that run the gamut from Paul Simon to Barbra Streisand, Evanescence to Devon Allman's band, Hon

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Italy - In addition to the numerous Outline loudspeaker systems installed in Piazza San Carlo and Piazza Castello, Outline has announced that 40 Butterfly CDH 483 Hi-Pack were used alongside the five Rings in Turin's Olympic Stadium, supporting the spectacular opening and closing ceremonies, as well as for the entire duration of the Games.

Outline's vice chairman, Giorgio Biffi, comments: "They say that the Turin 2006 Olympic Games was an opportunity to 'show off' the very best of Italy's excellence on all fronts, from fashion to design, through to our leading edge technology. We've boasted for years that we manufacture totally 'Italian-made' systems, so I can't deny that we're rightly proud of having had the privilege of taking part in such an extraordinary event with a large amount of equipment."

The Outline loudspeaker systems for the Turin 2006 Olympic Games were

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USA - Shure has announced that Christine Schyvinck has accepted the position of executive vice president of global marketing and sales. In this role, she will have responsibility for the management of Shure's five business units: U.S., EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa), Asia, International Americas (Canada, South and Central America) and Personal Audio.

"Chris's leadership on the operations side has been integral to the steady growth and profitability of Shure for several years, "says Sandy LaMantia, president and CEO, Shure. "We are confident that her management of our marketing and sales functions will continue this success given her broad knowledge and understanding of all areas of our company's worldwide operations."

Schyvinck replaces Mike McGinn, who has left the company. Previously, Schyvinck had been executive vice president of operations and ha

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Europe - Jamie Cullum's recent tour through Europe has seen him play to sell out audiences, and a new PA system has eased his transition into larger venues as his reputation grows.

"That said I have been pushing the boundaries in some venues, or at least I thought I was" sound engineer and tour manager Daniel White expresses some initial reservations. "When I first bought the d&b audiotechnik Q system I knew this was a safe investment for the theatre circuit where Jamie generally plays. We played Hammersmith Apollo and my thoughts were confirmed; I've done a lot of shows at the Apollo over the years, and with a variety of PA systems, I can say with conviction that the Q-Series loudspeakers produced the best sound I have ever heard." Daniel continues "In Europe we have been moved up to some much bigger venues, almost arena size, eight or nine thousand cap

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Germany - After five years at the Turbinenhalle in Oberhausen, event organizers Caba Kroll & Klaus Froehlich have decided to relocate its successful DJMeeting forum to a new venue in Duisberg for 2006. As a result, the 16-year-old event is set to take place on 16 May at the Delta Musikpark.

"Most DJ's, trade visitors and guests have been requesting a new location with a more personal atmosphere and a fresh vibe," admits Klaus Froelich. "The change of venue will make it possible to implement new ideas."

Among the exhibitors again will be Denon DJ, who line up alongside other equipment manufacturers, peripherals suppliers and record labels. In contrast to previous events, exhibitors will only present in two areas this year, allowing for a more even dispersion of visitors. There will also be a series of panels and seminars focused on current issues, and an eve

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USA - Scott Davies, general manager of the American DJ Group of Companies, received a Lifetime Achievement award for his service to the DJ industry at the Mobile Beat DJ Show 2006, held in Las Vegas 21-23 February. The award was presented to Davies (centre) by Mobile Beat magazine publisher Bob Lindquist (left) and Mobile Beat Show Producer Mike Buonaccorso (right).

(Sarah Rushton-Read)

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Germany - KV2 will launch various new products at Prolight and Sound, Frankfurt including the new ES Series which has been given a cosmetic and ergonomic overhaul. This includes new style grilles and handles, improved wheel boards and covers and the addition of M20 pole mounts for the ES 1.0 cabinet. The new design, higher output ES 2.8 subwoofer will also be shown for the first time.

Plus, the company launch the new ERAC 2500R amplifier/controller package, a four-way, active control and amplification system specifically designed for the KV2 Audio ES Series modular loudspeaker systems. This draws technology from KV2's existing EPAK amplifier/controller and combines it with the company's VHD technology to produce a rack mounted amplifier/controller that incorporates digital alignment utilizing a DSD (Direct Stream Digital) 6.0 MHz delay line. It houses all signal processing and a

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Spain - The premier 5,000 capacity club, BCM in Mallorca has chosen Void Acoustics for its major refit next month. Spanish installation company Ilusion identified Void as an ideal candidate for BCM and in sound trials against several market contenders Void came out on top, say the company.

This installation will be the first to have the new Stasys 3 Series II cabinet, which features the waveformer horn system unique to Void Acoustics. Infinite amplifiers will power the system with loudspeaker management provided through the Void Digidrive and Void Livedrive.

Paul Buck, Void's marketing manager says: "BCM will make a useful addition to our portfolio of venues and we are also delighted to welcome Ilusion into our expanding network of dealers.

(Sarah Rushton-Read)

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UK - Multiple Grammy Award winning recording star Natalie Cole visited Shure's corporate headquarters recently to tour the facility, participate in a 'meet and greet' with Shure associates, and open the company's new recording and product testing facility, the Performance Listening Centre (PLC).

Shure Performance Listening Centre brings state-of-the-art recording and product testing capabilities to the company's 65,000 square-foot, two-story Technology Annex, which opened last year. Offering all of the comfort of an elegant theatre with tiered seating for 14 and a bamboo floor, the critical studio is furnished with three ATC SCM 100 ASL active monitors, a Carillon Audio Systems computer, and 192 kHz multi-channel AES/EBU interface capabilities from Lynx Studio Technology.

"Shure has developed a first class recording studio, allowing them the ideal environment to test mult

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UK - Eight times Grammy nominated rapper Kanye West hits the UK at the end of February on the European leg of his Touch the Sky world tour. The rap superstar performed exclusively with an AKG WMS 4000 wireless system, with C5900 condenser capsule handheld transmitter.

The AKG system was selected after numerous different systems were tested, both in rehearsal and live on stage, prior to the tour in the US. Production manager Bryon 'Hot Dog' Tate, and FOH mixer for the European tour John C. Clark III, unanimously elected the WMS 4000. "Intelligible vocals at high volume levels, road worthiness, and customer support were our main requirements, and AKG got the job done!" states Clarke.

The tour carries two C5900 equipped WMS 4000 systems for use by Kanye on stage. Eight AKG C 411 MicroMic condensers are also being used to mic the string section on the tour. These attach

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UK - The famous Everymen Theatre in Liverpool has installed a new Soundcraft MH3. The 40 channel console was supplied by Bradford based AV supply and installation specialists, TMC Ltd.

The MH3 replaces a Soundcraft Venue. Having previously worked with TMC to upgrade the theatre's reinforcement system, head of sound, Sean Pritchard, had begun looking around for a suitable upgrade and replacement for the venue when the MH3 was launched onto the market.

"We chose the MH3 on the basis of advice from Nick Bolton at TMC, and several others," explains Pritchard, "It was clearly the best buy for its price, with 40 channels and all the auxs - we are using all 12. The overall spec meant that it was a real bargain."

The MH3 was pressed into immediate service on the Everyman's pantomime over the holiday season. Installed just one week before the run of Rock 'n' Ro

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UK - The FX Group has supplied a ProTools HD rig to Jerry Boys, studio director of Livingston Studios in North London. The purchase allows Livingston to offer Pro Tools HD in both studios at no extra charge to its clients.

Boys based the specification of his ProTools rig on FX's hire system following advice from the company's ProTools department, purchasing an HD2 Accel system with 24 IO on 192s, Sync IO, a Dual 2.7 GHz Apple Mac, 19 inch TFT screen , Glyph Firewire GT103 with Keydrives and a large selection of plugins including Waves.

"I used FX because I have known them for years and therefore I know they give good service and back-up," explains Boys about his choice to purchase ProTools from FX. "They were also very competitive on price."

Boys, who cut his teeth on the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, and also recorded and mixed the Buena Vista Social C

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USA - LOUD Technologies has announced that its common stock will begin trading on the NASDAQ Capital Market beginning Wednesday, March 1, 2006 at the market open under the symbol LTEC.

"This NASDAQ Capital Market listing is an important step in our program to enhance LOUD's visibility in the financial community," said chairman and CEO Jamie Engen. "As a leader in the rapidly growing professional audio industry, we believe that LOUD is on the right track as we continue to implement our strategy to increase revenue, improve margins, and build value for our shareholders."

(Sarah Rushton-Read)

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UK - For the third year running, Fleetwood Mobiles was given the task of recording the sound at the Shockwaves NME Awards 2006, which took place in February at London's Hammersmith Palace.

The event featured plenty of award action plus live performances from six acts including Dirty Pretty Things, Pete Doherty; Razorlight; The Sugababes; Plan B and Ian Brown.

Fleetwood recorded the show 'as live' and it was broadcast 90 minutes later to E4 viewers and re-broadcast n Channel 4 the following day. The audio team was led by Fleetwood's operations director Tim Summerhayes and Dave O'Carroll looked after any musical fixes and the Audio Dub. The OB Scanner for the event was supplied by Andrew Jones of 021, while Tony Gregory directed the show for Remedy.

Emma Sheldon, production manager for Remedy Productions, which commissioned Fleetwood, says: "This was the biggest Awards sh

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Germany - The dates of this year's prolight+sound exhibition 29 March - 1 April, present d&b audiotechnik with a considerable dilemma, whether to be serious or not with the show culminating on this universally asinine day of the year. The origins of All Fool's Day are not just hundreds of years old but can be traced back to the Centurions when 1 April was effectively their new year. With the instigation of the Gregorian calendar in the 1500s this was changed to January 1st, however communications being what they were in those days many people did not know this for several years. Remorselessly ridiculed, they were often sent on fools' errands or were made the butt of other practical jokes. Knowing the expanse of the prolight+sound exhibition, d&b hopes that the communication of their latest offerings will be more rapid than in those days when news only travelled by foot.

Neverthe

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UK - They may have been around for over three decades, but Simple Minds is still on many a 'must go to' gig list. And now the band that scored over twenty Top 20 hits is currently undertaking a major world tour. It kicked off in Dublin at the end of January, marks the release of their album, Black & White 050505, and is reported as 'an astounding return to form'.

Still best known for their 1985 number one Don't You Forget About Me from the film The Breakfast Club, Simple Minds is playing all manner of venues, from the most intimate to the vast. The tour is predominantly one-niters, so the tight turn arounds and diversity in size of venues demand a flexible and easily programmed sound system.

Sub-hired from rental company Concert Sound to main supplier EML for the UK leg of the tour, it comprises an Adamson Y10 line array, half of which is flown and half ground st

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USA - Having made a splash on the R&B and Urban charts, Motown recording artist Kem has been taking his soulful jazzy sound and upbeat lyrics to the streets, touring the U.S. in support of his second album, KEM Album II. The Detroit native's fans are hearing every word of Kem's sultry voice through a Meyer Sound Milo system provided by Thunder Audio.

"He's got such a great voice, it's really refreshing," remarks Tony Villarreal, president of Detroit-based Thunder. The system traveling with Kem consists of 20 Milo high-power curvilinear array loudspeakers, with four UPJ-1P compact VariO loudspeakers for frontfill. System drive processing was courtesy of a Meyer Sound LD-3 compensating line driver. A Soundcraft Series Five console handles the main mix, with a Yamaha PM4000 covering the monitor mix.

"The fidelity of the MILOs really shines on his music,"

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UK - Birmingham-based AV and PA specialists, Complete Light & Sound Services, supplied and installed the audio system for Thorpe Park's latest attraction, the Stealth launch coaster, selecting Allen & Heath's iDR DSP system to manage interactive sound distribution on the ride.

Opened in March ready for the 2006 season, Stealth is Europe's tallest, fastest Rocket Coaster, travelling 0-80mph in 2.3 seconds, and reaching 205ft. The coaster is designed with 1950's styling, including a period DJ booth playing music from the era.

Complete Light & Sound - working along side Bose special projects division - specified an iDR-8 mixing processor, plus iDR-in and iDR-out expanders, giving a full 16 x 16 matrix, with an iDR-switch control expander, all connected with CAT5 cable.

The racked system is installed in an offsite control room and there are control panels located in the ride ope

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UK - Metropolis AV has completed its latest, fully integrated sound, lighting and AV design and installation for the Sports Café brand - in Newcastle. It's Metropolis's fifth complete Sports Café project and is proving one of the busiest venues.

Once again Metropolis has chosen hard wearing good quality brands including HK and JBL audio, Robe moving lights, LightProcessor lighting control and Alcon McBride and Kramer video switching. Project manager Shane Winterbourne says: "Although there are specific elements common to all Sorts Cafes, each building and installation is completely different, and each has its own set of challenges"

Metropolis's Sports Café projects are always technology driven. Immediately guests walk in the entrance doors, eyes are drawn to the wall of twelve 15 inch TFT screens behind the reception desk. Two HK Audio IL 8.2 ful

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UK - As the UK distributor of HME's range of advanced wireless intercom products audio experts Orbital Sound is delighted to announce that it has been awarded HME's European Distributor of the Year.

Scooping the Award over 11 other distributors in Europe, Orbital has fused its expertise and experience over the past year to deliver the DX wireless intercom series, which comprises the DX 200 and DX 100, to the UK's broadcast, live performance and installed sound markets.

The DX 200 was Awarded The ABTT Theatre Show's 'Best New Sound and Comms Product' in 2005. Boasting a 2.4 Ghz license free operation, its advanced digital design offers crystal-clear interference free two-way communications.

Its potential and ease of use has proved invaluable across a variety of applications. The DX200 has been embraced by organisations as diverse as Rose Bruford College, Ramber

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Germany - Annett Louisan is one of the fastest-rising stars in Germany, following up the early success of her second album with a national tour. PA is provided by Sound Linear GmbH, a Nexo Geo S tangent-array system with PS Series monitoring, entirely powered by Camco Vortex amps.

Louisan's debut album spent nearly a year in the German charts, turning double platinum just as she released her second CD of songs that take their musical influences from samba, tango, waltz, chansons and jazz. She has now embarked on her second tour of Germany, with an all-acoustic band (plus electric organ) and, on both occasions, has carried a Camco/Nexo PA production system.

Concept and realisation of the sound reinforcement set-up for both tours was in the hands of Sound Linear GmbH from Paderborn under the management of Kalle Hogrefe.

In most venues, the systems was designed with left and ri

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USA - At the NSCA Expo, D&M Professional, the parent company of Denon Professional, has announced it is now shipping its flagship DN-V755 Network Audio Visual Player. The new DN-V755 provides system integrators and contractors with a complete visual messaging solution and was developed based on direct feedback from leading end-users and consultants in the field, say the company.

Designed to meet the increasing demand for digital signage multimedia solutions the DN-V755 offers extensive playback capabilities through its built-in 40 GB hard drive and extended range of compatible formats. The DN-V755 also features true drag-and-drop content uploads and an RS-232 port for integrated onsite system control.

Media Transfer has never been easier than with the DN-V755. The user is able to upload MPEG video, still pictures, WAV and other media directly from a computer. In addition to ea

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India - Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba has long been one of Asia's most beloved and colorful spiritual leaders. A larger-than-life figure for decades, his legions of devotees have included movie celebrities, sports stars, politicians and followers from India and all corners of the world.

Needless to say, Sai Baba's 80th birthday celebration was a highly anticipated event for some time. The city of Puttaparthi, home to Baba's residence, the ashram Prasanthi Nilayam (Abode of Peace), saw a massive influx of visitors, with an estimated million or more treated to meals and accommodation at the ashram.

The multi-day festivities concluded with a celebration held at Puttaparthi's sports stadium, a massive venue seating several hundred thousand. The ceremony was attended by several prominent politicians, as well as a number of India's top cricket stars. Performances from an internationa

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