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UK - Fresh from Preston's Celebrity Big Brother incarceration, the Ordinary Boys are now back to full strength and well into their five-month UK and European tour. Most dates have sold out well in advance and appearances will include both T in the Park and V Festivals.

The band is using a full complement of Sennheiser's evolution range of microphones on vocals and back line. Front-of-house sound engineer Rob Webster Reed commented: "After trying various manufacturers we found the e840 absolutely superb on lead vocals. In a major tour environment you look for consistency in a mic, and the e840 goes out every night virtually without any EQ. It's meaty sound and impressive feedback rejection also made it the obvious choice for backing vocals." Webster Reed also added that the e840 coped extremely well with Preston's very high vocal input levels.

For miking Simon'

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UK / Germany - At the recent Frankfurt ProLight&Sound exhibition, UK pro audio and MI distributor John Hornby Skewes & Co Ltd received HK Audio's top award, 'Best Distributor, Concert Sound', for 2005.

HK Audio's exclusive UK and Eire distributor, JHS, achieved an impressive 40% sales increase with HK Audio's range of pro audio systems last year. This result was undoubtedly spearheaded by the profile achieved following the introduction of the compact and innovative HK Audio Cohedra Compact ('CoCo') line array concert system, a high-performance system well suited to the majority of UK mid-size tour venues, and to the budgets of most pro audio touring and rental companies, say JHS.

"The UK and Eire pro audio market has demonstrated great interest in the potential offered by the Cohedra Compact system," says JHS MD, Dennis Drumm. "Sales of this system in particular

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Canada - Club Animation in Quebec City has joined the growing legion of Adamson line source array partners. Jean Doyon, owner and head of the technical department at Club Animation, purchased an Adamson SpekTrix rig to complete the versatility offered by the product in his shop. Doyon's usual venue sizes vary between 500 and 5,000 people. "In a small city like Quebec, we have to offer 'multi-purpose' services, because our main market consists mainly of big corporate events, bands in small to medium venues, DJs, some outdoor festivals, and galas."

He has been looking for the best tools in the market to complement their other sound gear, and just last year they updated their old amps with Lab Gruppen amplifiers in order to reduce weight and to increase headroom. Doyon adds: "I am very impressed with the amount of positive comments our customers have expressed about

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Australia / The Netherlands - ARX Systems, the Australian manufacturer of pro audio equipment, has appointed Match Audio & Vision as its new distributor for the Netherlands. ARX's managing director Colin Park said: "Match's MD Robert Pigeaud and I finalised the distribution agreement at the recent Frankfurt ProLight&Sound, and we both agreed ARX's range of signal processing products was a very complementary fit with the other lines Match currently represents."

"The Netherlands' audio industry has always been important to ARX and we're looking forward to working with Robert Pigeaud and his energetic team at Match Audio & Vision."

Alongside ARX, Match Audio & Vision also represents manufacturers including Celestion, Logic System, MC2 Audio and Quested.

(Lee Baldock)

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Japan - One amusement concept unique to Japan is 'Pachinko', a fast-paced arcade game popular throughout the country. Sharing elements with both pinball and slot machines, Pachinko is played by some 22 million people, and has spawned a market worth 240 billion yen. Amidst the clattering coins found in the 17,000 active arcades, a clear need exists for high-quality, intelligible audio. While sound sources generally are restricted to CD and broadcast feeds, a venue called LadyBird in Ritto Town has added a different twist.

Since the owner is a former musician, he also wanted the facility to build high-octane live music and DJ sessions into the entertainment programme, and tasked his technical representative Hidenori Kawamoto with sourcing a professional, fully-optimised system that could be distributed throughout the whole facility. LadyBird presented the challenge to Kiyoaki Fuku

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USA - After four Grammies, four Brit Awards and 17 million album sales, Coldplay is currently in the US attracting packed audiences for its "Twisted Logic" tour. A busy itinerary sees them returning to play the Isle of Wight Festival before heading off in summer to Australia and Japan. Handling live sound for this tour is Special Events Services (SES) who are exclusively using Lab.gruppen fP Series amplification for the front-of-house arrays and on-stage wedges.

Lab.gruppen, the Swedish manufacturer distributed exclusively in the UK by Sennheiser, is one of the leading amplifier brands within the pro audio industry. According to Jim Stevens, SES's general manager who oversees the Coldplay account: "We have been changing over to Lab.gruppen amplifiers for the last three years. We had an amp 'shoot-out' in 2003 and Lab.gruppen won hands down, so we decided to start

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Switzerland - The Sinus Systems Integration Awards were presented on the first day of this year's international ProLight&Sound trade fair in the categories Information, Business and Venue and were awarded for outstanding multi-media projects. The award honours technical and design achievements in media technology and system integration. Two out of three of the projects that won awards were installations made with equipment manufactured by the German loudspeaker company d&b audiotechnik.

The Sinus for the Information category was awarded to Erwin Schenk, the technical manager of The Zentrum Paul Klee centre in Bern, Switzerland, and to Christian Simmen the project manager of John Lay Electronics. The Zentrum Paul Klee was designed by the famous architect Renzo Piano and is one of his most striking buildings. It distinguishes itself from traditional museums in being not just the h

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Australia - 10 of Australia's leading DJs have joined the exclusive worldwide network of Allen & Heath Xone endorsed artists. The arrangement means that local talent is being fully recognised on an international basis and joining an elite group that includes the likes of Sander Kleinenberg, Richie Hawtin and John Digweed. The Xone Ten (in alphabetical order are): Ajax, Mark Dynamix, Nik Fish, Carl Kennedy, Kid Kenobi, Kenny L, Amber Savage, Sneaky Sound System, Dirty South and The Stafford Brothers.

A key part of the sponsorship will include a series of Allen & Heath master classes where the Xone Ten will be on hand to demonstrate the full capacity of Allen & Heath mixers and outline the key features of their performances to the next generation of DJs. Allen & Heath says that with their high quality filters, construction and audio signal path, Xone has quickly become the mixer o

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UK - RF specialist Trantec is pleased to announce that Cardiff based Stage Sound Services has acquired another 6-channels of Trantec's S6002 wireless UHF radio mic system initially deployed on the internationally acclaimed 'La Cuadra de Sevillas' stunning new production - Carmina Burana.

Directed by Salvador Tavora, Carmina Burata is operatic spectacle that translates Carl Orff's most renowned choral piece into an unprecedented theatrical experience. Featuring over 30 dancers, actors, a soprano choir and two famous Andalusian stallions, the show is touring the UK, visiting 16 venues in a 3-month period - culminating in a spectacular finale at The Welsh Millennium Centre - the home of the Welsh National Opera.

Having deployed Trantec S5000 on 'La Cuadra de Sevilla's previous national tours of Carmen, Stage Sound Services' MD Phil Hurley specified the new 60

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UK / USA - Now in its 24th year of trading, MTR Ltd has been appointed sole UK and Eire distributor for A-Designs Audio products from the USA. The range includes the Pacifica stereo solid state mic pre (which boasts a frequency response of 9Hz-101kHz ±1dB), MP-1A and MP-2A valve mic pres, and the newly launched P-1 and EM Series mic pres which are API 500 Lunchbox-compatible.

The P-1 captures the unique sound of the 1970s Quad Eight Ventura, Coronado and Pacifica consoles, say MTR. The EM-Silver has a custom all-steel-wound output transformer, which produces a dark, warm tone perfect for ribbon microphones. The EM-Blue, with its high nickel wound output transformer, conversely generates a brighter, airy tone, says the company, while the EM-Red has a modified custom wound input transformer that brings the 'mid levels' forward.

The A-Designs line-up is completed by the REDDI va

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UAE - Following their first presence at the ENTECH show in Australia, Alcons Audio have now made their debut in the Middle East, exhibiting at the PALME show in Dubai.

Alcons' Tom Back says: "It's good to have a presence at PALME in this stage of our company's development in this region, as already a number of high-profile projects have been realized with our Pro-Ribbon Partner in the Middle East, SPL from Lebanon."

Furthermore, Alcons Audio have announced that an agreement has been made during the show for delivery of the first Alcons LR16 pro-ribbon line-array system in the Middle East. The significantly-sized system consists of LR16 ribbon line-array, LR16B line-array bass and BF362 subwoofers, all powered and controlled by ALC4 and ALC6.

Back continues: "Although it's clear the show needs to mature, we had a successful event, with good, specific interest.

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USA - In only six years, the congregation size of Anderson, South Carolina's NewSpring Church has practically exploded going from 115 parishioners to nearly 6,000. And so, after finally outgrowing its four packed services every Sunday at the 1,100-seat Henderson Auditorium of Anderson College's Rainey Fine Arts Center, NewSpring has finally celebrated the opening of its own home - an impressive 103,000sq.ft worship centre built around a 2,500-seat sanctuary.

Although there are many reasons for the church's fast rise in popularity and growth, one of them can certainly be attributed to NewSpring's praise band, which peppers its contemporary worship service sets with songs by the likes of U2 and Nickelback.

Consequently, the NewSpring team knew that a traditional church P.A. wasn't going to suffice for its new sanctuary and therefore contacted regional sound company Custom Audio

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Italy - PROEL SpA, the Italian worldwide company in the entertainment field, celebrates its 15th anniversary in 2006 with a very big event. Held at PROEL's head office in Sant'Omero, Italy, PROEL will give a hearty welcome to all of its partners and friends on 9-11 June.

Product demonstrations and musical entertainment will feature heavily on the schedule, with numerous product demo artists performing over the three-day event. A very special time will be dedicated to visit the little city where PROEL was established in 1991 and its beautiful surrounding territories: the flourishing countryside and the spectacular views between the Adriatic Sea and the Gran Sasso Mountain, the ancient villages and their story. Live and breathe the Italian way of life, will be the "leitmotiv" of the entertainment time, making visitors able to visit winemakers and cellars, and taste the m

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USA - Youngstown, Ohio is a city undergoing a rebirth. Devastated in the early1980's by the steel industry's collapse, this former steel town of 800,000 has been experiencing a significant revival in the past few years as its economy diversifies with automobile assembly plants, manufacturing, metal fabrication and small business enterprises. Its downtown area is home to an aggressive rebuilding campaign that includes arts, entertainment and cultural facilities, including the new Chevrolet Centre, located on 32 acres along the Mahoning River.

A joint project of the International Coliseums Company (ICC) and the City of Youngstown, the 5700-seat Chevrolet Centre is home to the Central Hockey League's Youngstown Steelhounds, and has been designed as a multi-purpose facility that will host up to 100 events per season, including concerts, trade shows, conventions, sporting events, mon

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USA - Aviom, manufacturer of the Pro16 monitor mixing system, is pleased to announce the addition of Jason Frenchman to its team as the company's new director of marketing. In this role, Frenchman will handle advertising, marketing materials, public relations, product research and development information, as well as supporting the Aviom sales force at major trade shows.

"I'm excited for the opportunity to join a growing company and help continue branding its public image," says Frenchman. "Aviom's expanding product lines are having a substantial impact on the audio community in a variety of contexts, from concert touring to TV production."

Prior to joining Aviom, Frenchman was the director of marketing for trade publisher CMP Media and held marketing and public relations positions at Crestron Electronics, Crest Audio and Quantel. His responsibilities inclu

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UK - Leif Mases, the designer behind Prism Sound's popular Maselec Master Series range, is currently developing a successor product for the MMA-4 four-channel microphone pre-amplifier. The new product - the MMA4XR - will be launched in June 2006.

Like its predecessor, the MMA-4XR will be a minimalist microphone preamplifier designed to provide integrity and transparency. Each channel will have controls for gain (60dB in 3dB steps), phase invert, cut (mute) and 48V phantom power. The Phantom power circuit will provide a higher than usual level of current output - often a problem with inferior designs that can result in compromised microphone performance. Input and output headroom will extend to +28dBu and the MMA-4XR frequency response will extend to more than 200kHz - well beyond the basic 20kHz audio band.

In addition to the attributes of the existing MMA-4, which is already

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USA - Digidesign previewed advances in mixing and automation, dramatically improved post workflows and exciting new technologies at NAB 2006. Digidesign showcased the forthcoming Pro Tools HD 7.2 software upgrade, which includes enhanced mixing and automation capabilities plus improved post workflows. Digidesign also presented a technology preview of Avid HD picture support in Pro Tools|HD; introduced Pro Tools LE and Pro Tools M-Powered 7.1.1 software, which offer Intel-based Mac support; displayed the new Surround Panner Option by JL Cooper Electronics for ICON D-Command and Pro Tools|HD systems; and much more.

One of the most significant software upgrades for ICON and Pro Tools|HD systems to date, Pro Tools HD 7.2 software introduces a wealth of new features and enhancements designed to give audio post professionals more speed, power, and flexibility. Currently expected in th

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Germany - German production company Klangschmiede was given the task of organising extensive tours for some of the most popular stars in the German folk music scene. The company, based in Crailsheim, was asked to plan tours for the Kastelruther Spatzen (Sparrows), Florian Silbereisen's Folk Music Festival of Surprises, the duo of Marianne & Michael as well as the Hofmann Siblings. They then commissioned mediawarehouse with executing their plan.,

Since the primary focus of folk music performances is the words and music, it was of utmost importance that the words be intelligible and sound natural and that individual instruments be rendered distinctly and accurately, and Cohedra Compact was chosen for these tours.

The Kastelruther Spatzen from South Tyrol-who were awarded the German music prize ECHO for the ninth time this year, making them the most honoured recipients of

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Italy/USA - CBI will be undertaking a 10,000 sq.ft. expansion project. This project will be a direct expansion of C.B.I.'s existing 30,000 sq. ft facility that was built in 2001.

The extra square footage will allow C.B.I. to increase the number of workstations in the high tech fabrication area, as well as greatly increase warehouse space. This expansion is a direct result of increased business in many areas, with a dramatic increase citied in pro sound, power, lighting, and distribution.

Accompanying the expansion will be a wave of promotions, new positions, and a general aesthetic makeover to the current building, with expansion due to be completed 1 August.

CBI will be at InfoComm on booth 2791.

(Chris Henry)

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UK - London's top acoustic night, The Big Secret, was recently selected bysatellite TV station, the Performance Channel, for a pilot broadcast. Taking place last month, the organisers enlisted a 24-channel Allen & Heath GL2400 multi-purpose mixer to manage FOH sound for the six performers, and supply a broadcast feed.

The weekly acoustic night, held at the Ginglik club, attracts some of the best singer songwriters on the circuit, from establish names to up-and-coming artists. The Big Secret is enhanced by the projected workings of a live illustrator, who takes inspiration from the performance.

"The Big Secret was established to bridge the gaping chasm between the gigging singer songwriter and the professional music business," says organiser, Amity Fletcher. "The night is frequently an industry hunting ground for talent and we've launched a f

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UK - Bretford manufacturing has introduced a battery- or mains-powered portable audio and wireless PA system which the company says is "easy to set up and simple to operate" - the Califone PowerPro. Designed for maximum flexibility, the PowerPro is aimed at uses including conferences, presentations, fitness classes or live music events and indoor and outdoor functions.

The Califone PowerPro is a self-contained sound system with an easy-to-use integrated mixer panel, programmable CD player, variable speed cassette recorder and wireless microphone receiver. Featuring a 90W RMS power amplifier and highly efficient integrated speakers for optimal audio reproduction, a single unit can cover crowds of up to 500 people, says the company, addign that it also offers wireless connection to any number of wireless companion speakers with a transmission range over 90m, offering unl

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Russia - Moscow's CSKA EuroLeague Basketball Champions recently upgraded their home court system with a D.A.S. Aero 38A powered line array system. The task of modernizing the sports club's audio system and acoustically conditioning the arena was assigned to the Boss Man company, distributor of D.A.S. Audio's products in Russia. The audio specialists at Boss Man decided to install a linear array system consisting of a central speaker cluster using 16 Aero 38A modules and eight Aero 218Sub for low-end reinforcement.

The decision to use the Aero for this application was based on the system's features and performance which, in addition to meeting the facilities' audio requirements, provide the convenience of its light weight and simple integrated rigging system which makes it extremely easy and fast to install.

Moscow's CSKA is an athletic complex which has earned great distinctio

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Australia - ARX Systems, the Australian based manufacturer of professional audioequipment is very pleased to announce the appointment of N Power Audio and Visual Supplies Co. Ltd as their new distributor for Hong Kong & China.

ARX's Managing Director Colin Park said: "I've known N Power's managing director Patrick Chung personally for many years from his time at Pacific Audio and Bose China and have great respect for his technical, marketing and communication skills. Patrick's knowledge of the Chinese Pro Audio Industry is second to none.

"The Chinese Audio market has always been important to ARX, We both agreed thatARX's Product ranges offered N Power the opportunity to become a total solutionsprovider, especially into the very competitive Installation market."

Along side ARX, N Power are also representing Nakamichi and T.R Loudspeakers in the Hong Kong and C

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USA - Digidesign has announced great new offerings that significantly enhance the flexibility, efficiency and processing capabilities of the Venue live sound environment: the Digital Stage Input (DSI) and Digital Stage Output (DSO) card options provide alternative digital input and output capabilities for Venue systems.

VenuePack 2.0 and VenuePack Pro 2.0 are impressive collections of the most sought-after effects processing and analysis plug-ins available for the Venue platform. VenuePack 2.0 is included with every Venue system and features the Troodon Technologies TrooTrace audio analysis bundle, while VenuePack Pro 2.0 offers five additional high-quality plug-ins with the purchase of a D-Show Mix Engine DSP card.

D-Show 2.0 software - an upgrade to the Venue system software-delivers extended snapshot automation capabilities, improved workflows, and expanded signal routing a

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