Sound

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USA - The View, winner of 20 Daytime Emmy awards, has received critical acclaim since its 1997 debut. Now in its tenth season, the show is hosted by ABC news icon Barbara Walters, entertainer Rosie O'Donnell, comedian Joy Behar and former Survivor star Elisabeth Hasselbeck, and offers a wide-ranging menu of news, celebrity interviews and live entertainment.

The intimate 199-seat Manhattan studio from which the show is broadcast live recently received a high-end audio upgrade courtesy of Yonkers-based Sound Associates. Sound Associates sound designer Timothy Mazur specified a unique and highly focused system featuring multiple zones using a total of 26 Meyer Sound M1D ultra-compact curvilinear array loudspeakers and 17 MM-4 miniature wide-range loudspeakers.

Mazur points out that sound for live television is an art form very different from others he's pursued, pre

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UK - Malaysia's annual Citrawarna festival is a month-long, nationwide celebration of multiculturalism and the broad regional and spiritual influences of the peoples of Malaysia. Citrawarna's festivities culminate with a live pageant, parade, and street festival featuring prominent national singers, and the highlight of the festival, the Citrawarna dance exhibition. The music powering the dance was heard in the stadium-sized area, through a system of Meyer Sound Milo high-power curvilinear array loudspeakers.

The exhibition features some 1,500 ornately costumed dancers, with each group performing a traditional routine reflecting the cultural heritage they are costumed to represent. The show presented a number of challenges to sound reinforcement. "This event is the cultural and dance event of the year in Malaysia, with a huge variety of different dances, and dancers perform

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Qatar - The 15th Asian Games were officially opened on 1 December by HH Emir Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa al-Thani at Doha's Khalifa Stadium. In a breathtaking ceremony, a movie was cast on the world's largest LCD while a spectacular live show featuring hundreds of performers was taking place on the field.

Artistic director David Atkins, in charge of the creation of the opening and closing ceremonies at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, devised a show under the theme of Qatar reaching out to Asia, celebrating its history, its culture and the spirit of the games.

Several top stars performed during this opening ceremony such as Chinese pop star Jacky Cheung, Spanish tenor Jose Carreras, Bollywood singer Sunidhi Chauhan as well as Lebanese artist Magida El Roumi.

The show was broadcast live in 60 countries throughout the world, and the 50 000 spectators enjoyed the Kudo sound system des

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UK - For several years, newer CD players have expanded the length of continuous playback time without interruption by adding the ability to play compressed digital audio files off CD data discs. One CD data disc could provide as much as 20 hours when playing back low bit rate MP3 files.

Denon Professional's new 1RU DN-C640 takes this idea a step further. The DN-C640 can play back MP3 and WMA files from CD data discs, but it is also capable of decoding broadcast standard MP2 and uncompressed digital PCM (WAV) files of those same discs.

It also has the ability to read any of the above from any data DVD. This not only expands the 20-hour playback time to almost six days (continuously), but also allows those users who demand uncompressed audio quality the ability to play back full 44.1kHz PCM recordings without being limited to the 80-minute CD-R.

The DN-C640 can decode a host o

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UK - The Institute of Sound and Communications Engineers will be holding its annual exhibition on Tuesday, 27 February 2007 at the Park Inn Hotel, Watford.

More than 20 specialist suppliers to the sound industry have already signed up including; Ampetronic, Duran Audio UK, ADS Worldwide, Allen & Heath, Audio-Technica, Baldwin Boxall Communications, BC Technology, Brähler ICS UK, Canford Audio, Clockaudio, Communication Technology, Fuzion plc, Ikon AVS, Institute of Acoustics, Peavey Electronics, Rackz, RK Sound Engineering, R W Salt, Sennheiser UK, Shuttlesound, SigNET (AC), TOA and Yamaha-Kemble.

Running alongside the exhibition is a full programme of expert speakers covering the following wide range of topics: Sound engineering in churches (Malcolm Cunnings - Cunnings Recording Associates); Training the next generation (Dr Philip Duncan of the University of Salford); Fittin

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UK - Leicestershire based Hawthorns has announced that it has more than doubled its revenue from permanent installations to more than £1 million, over the last 12 months.

In addition to large church and theatre installations, Hawthorns have been successful in securing contracts for the Government initiative of City Academies. Having already done the installations of lighting, sound and other theatre equipment at Lambeth and Northampton Academies, it has just completed the Marlow Academy and is currently working at the Reading and Paddington Academies. They are due to start a further three Academies in the New Year. Tony Blair announced last week that the government is to double its initiative to 400 Academies by the end of the decade.

Tracey Hughes, a consultant to one of the key suppliers on the Academy build programme says: "We have worked with Hawthorns on two Ac

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Germany - Klotz Digital's Vadis router family has undergone a re-design. Recently the new Vadis 212 router was unveiled and Klotz Digital now introduces the new design and functionality of its bigger sibling the Vadis 888. Like the Vadis 212, the new Vadis 888 comes with an enhanced front panel display to provide more information, and a fan-less power supply unit (PSU) for absolute silent operation. An optional hot-swappable redundant PSU is available providing outstanding reliability and allowing maintenance operations while the frame is in operation.

Klotz Digital's hot swap technology applies to all essential components of the frame, such as Vadis cards and the synchronisation module. As with the forerunner model, the PSUs are installed at the front of the Vadis 888 for serviceability. The new Vadis frame is also available as Vadis 884 version, additionally equipped with a vi

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UK - Wireless Microphone specialist Trantec has announced that Mark Parkhouse has joined its team as sales and marketing executive.

Having gained experience working for another well known MI / Pro Audio distributor Parkhouse's role is to continue building Trantec's market share in the UK. This will involve selling directly and advancing the expanding sales network throughout the country.

He will concentrate on both Trantec's recently launched MI range and its internationally acclaimed professional range, including the S6000 series.

Parkhouse says: "This is a strategic career move for me and offers an opportunity to expand my skills-sets working for such a leading RF manufacturer with a brand that is synonymous with design, innovation and quality. I'm looking forward to building the distributor network throughout the UK and to channelling my experience of the MI market t

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The Netherlands - As the Midas XL8 live performance system rolls out across the globe, the emphasis is now on training sound engineers to become as familiar with this system as they are with their much-loved Midas analogue desks.

Midas Consoles Holland has just completed a training session for the country's engineers at its premises. "The majority of Holland's top engineers - more then 100 - attended this six hour training session, where they not only learned what the XL8 is all about but learned for themselves that digital has indeed gone Midas," says MCD MD Axel Nagtegaal, who issued certificates to all who completed the training.

(Chris Henry)

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Austria - Vienna's newest musical production Rebecca recently opened to critical acclaim at the Raimund Theater, featuring the story of Daphne du Maurier's famous 1938 novel. Staged by Vereinigte Bühne Wien (VBW), the musical is directed by Francesca Zambellow. Sound design is by Hendrik Maassen, whose musical credits include a long-term association with Phantom of the Opera. The heart of the show's sound system is the VBW Raimund Theater's resident Cadac J-Type Live Production Console, in conjunction with two Cadac D16 Digital Mix Matrices.

Rebecca is a technically very sophisticated show, combining video projection, surround sound and a dramatic lighting design. Sound designer Hendrik Maassen says:"The show's design is extremely challenging, particularly in the way that it combines the video, sound and lighting elements - this makes it a lot of fun

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Europe - The 89,600-ton MSC Musica is a new design of ship for MSC Cruises and can carry 2,550 passengers with a crew of 1,000. It was introduced in 2006, and will be followed by two sister ships in 2007. Musica is scheduled to sail on European cruises out of Venice.

MSC's Italian style is emphasised throughout the new ship's design, cuisine and service. Onboard highlights include a three-deck waterfall in the central foyer with a piano 'suspended' by means of a transparent crystal floor above a pool of water; a 13,000sq.ft spa/beauty facility offering aerobics, yoga, aromatherapy, thalassotherapy, chromotherapeutic hydro-massage and a purifying Turkish bath; a 7,000sq.ft casino; two restaurants, a Sushi Bar, an a la carte restaurant and a pizza/grill; a Cigar Room, Wine Tasting Bar and Coffee Bar, as well as a 46-foot-long bar in the casino and a Well-being and Fitness Centre B

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USA - Two standout, low budget videos, one produced in a backyard for just ten dollars and the other choreographed with eight treadmills and performed in a single take, have brought Chicago-based band OK Go a lot of attention over the last year. Capitalising on their new-found public recognition, the band is currently touring the US with a stage full of Sennheiser Evolution Series wired and RF microphones, as well as wireless personal monitor systems.

Mike Kent has been touring for the last two years as front-of-house engineer with the band, and reports that backline amplification, drum and vocal microphones are all Sennheiser Evolution Series."On the kick drum I'm using the e901, which is absolutely my favourite kick drum mic in the whole world right now. It just sounds phenomenal," says Kent. "On snare, I'm using an e905, the toms e604s, and e914s on the overhea

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Germany/Ireland - Loudspeaker manufacturer Klein + Hummel has relocated its manufacturing arm to the Sennheiser factory in Ireland.

In parallel to the Ireland relocation, the after sales service has also been relocated within Germany. Spare parts, service information and equipment is now handled by: Sennheiser Vertrieb und Service GmbH & Co.KG, Niederlassung Magdeburg, Ebendorfer Chaussee 1, Germany - 39179 Barleben. Tel: +49 39203 / 72 680.

A company statement says, "The service relocation to Sennheiser in Germany is seen as the next step in creating full-line service centres around the world to support their commitment to the growing needs of their global customers."

(Jim Evans)

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Spain - Sound rental and installation company Oscar Molowny Sonido e lluminación, S.L. was responsible for the sound installation in the luxury hotel Mencey in Santa Cruz, Tenerife. Oscar Molowny resolved the sound requirements using D.A.S. flush mount Ceiling series and specially equipped Factor series where wall mounting was appropriate.

The nine conference rooms are outfitted with the most modern audio-visual equipment. A total of 96 D.A.S. CL-8T and 12 CL-6T ceiling mounted speakers provide background music and voice reproduction when needed.

"The Ceiling Series speakers optimise the dispersion," comments Molowny. "They provide better intelligibility which is fundamental in the conference rooms of the hotel. Besides being easy to install, the CL-8T speakers offer extended bass response additional bass providing a hi-fi sound for background music or A/V pres

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USA - Barbra Streisand recently returned for a twenty-date tour across North America with guests Il Divo, the pop opera quartet, marking the singer's first live concert appearances since 1999. The vocal microphone of choice for the diva and Il Divo was the Sennheiser SKM 5200 wireless handheld fitted with Neumann's KK 105 S capsule, while the 'popera' foursome also made use of Sennheiser's 3000 Series RF personal monitors.

FOH engineer and sound designer Bruce Jackson, who has mixed Streisand live for many years, reports that the Sennheiser/Neumann vocal mic won a shootout against competing systems. "I listened and compared it against some other mics that I was interested in," he says. "It worked out well."

Jackson, who was once front-of-house engineer for Elvis Presley and, for many years, Bruce Springsteen, was especially impressed with the strong RF perf

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UK - Harman Pro UK, the distributors for the Harman Group of audio-related products and brands, has announced that customer services specialist Matt Coleman has been appointed as the company's MI telesales operative at the Potters bar head office.

Says the company, "Matt's natural aptitude for sales shone through when dealing with customers' service requirements and he is now looking forward to the new challenge of generating sales of his own accord.

(Jim Evans)

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UK - Proel Speakers have recently been installed - by Harlequin Sound Services - in the clubhouse at the prestigious Dulwich & Sydenham Hill Golf Club which boasts one of the most breathtaking views of the London skyline.

The white EDGE25PW are part of the professional touring standard EDGE series. With 2 x 5,25" woofers and a 1" dome tweeter, these compact speakers can handle up to 200W of programme power and are rated at 16 Ohm, allowing many speakers to be linked together on one amplifier.

The club has chosen to use the Proel EDGE25PW speakers as they require a natural sounding system for background music and presentations, but with enough power for parties and events.The installation has been designed with several feeds around the rooms, allowing additional powered subwoofers to be added when extended low frequencies are required.

(Jim Evans)

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UK - The Killers are often described as the 'Best British band to have come out of America'. James Gebhard has been the band's front of house engineer since the spring of 2004 and, wherever possible, uses a combination of DiGiCo D5 Live and XTA processing for their live performances.

Presently, Gebhard is using a stripped down version of the D5 with 46 inputs and nine or 10 outputs for PA routing depending on requirements. "I want to try and get into the console's snapshots function more," continues Gebhard. "We have a lot of instruments on stage, but they're only used in specific songs and it would a lot easier and simpler between song changes if I used snapshots.

"I think the D5 sounds great. I took out a competitor's console in the States because it's part of the tools of the trade and you should learn what's out there. It sounds good, but not as good as

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Nigeria - In 1986, the Nigerian capital of Lagos played host to the first Holy Ghost Service organised by Pastor Enoch A Adeboye of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. This grew to become the monthly Holy Ghost Nights. In 1996, the first Holy Ghost Festival was held in the London Arena with Pastor Adeboye as its sole speaker.

Now called the Festival of Life, it has become a bi-annual occurrence and claims to be the biggest all night non-denominational gathering of people in Europe. The latest event was held at London's ExCel at the end of November and with attendance figures estimated at 32,000 meant that audio supplier Canegreen Commercial needed to provide a substantial amount of audio equipment with XTA digital signal processing delivering essential control.

The largest of the venue's auditoria, measuring 175m x 87m, was used as the site of the main gathering and a

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UK - Following the purchase of Academy of Sound by Sound Control at the end of 2004, Gareth Hunt, the former managing director of Academy of Sound, has now completed his time with Sound Control helping to integrate the two businesses, and will now begin working with a number of companies, in a variety of roles, both in and outside of the music industry.

Carlsbro Electronics is one of the companies within the music industry that has engaged the Hunt's services. Working together with Carlsbro MD Andrew Bishop and the Carlsbro team, he will help to build on the existing momentum and continue to move Carlsbro forward globally, say the company.

At the same time, Carlsbro has announced the appointment of Tony Whitworth to the Carlsbro team as the Northern Area sales manager commencing. Whitworth is based in Manchester and has many years' experience as a sales specialist at Sound Con

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The Caribbean - For such a small island in the Caribbean, Dynamic Guys Audio is getting a very big Adamson system. Dynamic Guys Audio in Kingston, St. Vincent has taken delivery of eight T21 Subs as well as another eight Y18s, bringing their Y18 inventory up to 16 boxes. This has made Dynamic Guys Audio a contender for all size shows passing through wanting a large format high-end system.

Another island based Adamson partner, Zamar, also substantially boosted their Adamson lineup. Based in Nassau, Bahamas, Zamar is the leading major event, staging and production company in the country. They added eight Y18s and also ordered eight T21 subs. This brings their total Adamson inventory up to 16 Y18s and eight T21s.

(Chris Henry)

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UK - Long-time Klark Teknik and Midas enthusiast Ian Bond has been using the recently-launched Square ONE Dynamics unit for UK rockers Porcupine Tree on their recent DVD promotional tour of Europe and the US.

The Square ONE range is designed for ease of use and good sound at an affordable price point. Apart from these obvious advantages, Bond was appreciative of the eight channels of flexible, configurable, high-performance dynamics processing included in the 3U Dynamics unit. For the Porcupine Tree gigs, the unit was used to process the drum kit, with six gates across the kick and toms and two compressors used on the top of the two snares. "The compressors worked well in vintage mode, giving the snare more edge," he says. "The gates were also extremely good, very quick and, because of the different closing threshold, were all but transparent."

Porcupine Tr

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The Netherlands - As Integrated Systems Europe 2007 (30 January - 1 February 2007) draws nearer, the show's organisers have announced that all four halls at the Amsterdam RAI are now full, with over 350 exhibitors. An unprecedented number of visitor registrations have been made, demonstrating the expectation which is mounting for the fourth and biggest edition of ISE.

The event promises a range of new features, displays and innovations, and includes strong backing from the three industry associations CEDIA, InfoComm International and NSCA. Mike Blackman, managing director for ISE, said: "ISE just seems to grow stronger each year, with more suppliers and manufacturers of AV related products and services keen to be part of this exciting event. With such a high quality and diversity of new and existing exhibitors to this show, I anticipate that visitor records again will be br

  1. Brazilian orphans benefit from sound qualities
  2. Kingston Sound serves Women's Day Event
  3. World class arena venue for Malta
  4. AKG and Harman's Unsigned Heroes contest
  5. Buddhist University finds music to their ears
  6. Turbosound Aspect with Primal Scream
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