Sound

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USA - Clear-Com will launch Tempest 2400 and Tempest 900, a "revolutionary wireless intercom system", at NAB 2007. The new Tempest has been engineered to avoid the need for licensing and frequency coordination, says Clear-Com. Utilising Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) in conjunction with TDMA technology, Tempest operates in both the 2.4 GHz and 900 MHz bands.

Tempest is a timely solution for the dilemma wireless communication system users will face when the DTV transition is completed in early 2009, suggests Clear-Com. Those used to operating wireless equipment in the 500 to 600MHz portion of the UHF band will find that spectrum crowded with UHF DTV transmissions, while the 700MHz band frequencies are scheduled for auction to new users later in 2009.

However, Tempest operates in the unlicensed 2.4 GHz and 900 MHz bands, so it is unaffected by the reallocatio

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USA - Utilising JBL Professional PD Series loudspeakers, Westbury National Show Systems designed and installed the audio system at the new Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, IL. The 11,000-seat arena opened in October 2006, and has already hosted concerts by Bob Dylan and Duran Duran. The Sears Centre is also the new home of the Chicago Hounds (United Hockey League), the Chicago Storm (Major Indoor Soccer League), the Chicago Shamrox (National Lacrosse League) and the Chicago Slaughter (Continental Indoor Football League).

The seating area of the Sears Centre is arranged in a horseshoe pattern, to which Westbury National designed the system accordingly. Four clusters of three JBL PD5212/64 loudspeakers were placed along the north and south sides, while two clusters of two were hung in the northwest and southwest corners. Additionally, two clusters of three PD5212/64's are located

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USA - Aviom introduced its new AV-P2 Output Module at NSCA 2007. It is designed for use in a wide variety of applications. The AV-P2 offers simple plug-and-play installation and secure 'set-and-forget' channel configuration.

Audio is distributed to the AV-P2 over standard Cat 5e cables, using Aviom's A-Net digital audio protocol. A-Net supports realtime distribution with sub-millisecond latency, and long cable runs up to 500ft/150m.

There is no limit to the number of devices that can be daisy chained, or to the number of parallel splits in a single system, says the company.

Power can be supplied to the AV-P2 with an external DC power supply or over the Cat 5e cable (with an A-Net Distributor). Additionally, Pro16 A-Net audio streams can be transmitted over single- or multi-mode fibre optics using certain standard third-party media converters.

The AV-P2 has reversible mount

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USA - For the 10th consecutive year, a broad range of Audio-Technica microphones was selected to outfit the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. A-T supplied over 100 mics to capture the audio for this widely celebrated musical event, which took place at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Midtown Manhattan. The 22nd annual event was held on 12 March, with inductees including Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, R.E.M., The Ronettes, Patti Smith and Van Halen. The show was broadcast live on VH1 Classic, and for the first time, streamed live on the Internet.

Audio-Technica's Artist Elite 5000 Series UHF Wireless System was used with the AEW-T5400 handheld microphone/transmitter for frontline vocals on performances by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five (Kid Creole, Cowboy, Grandmaster Flash, Melle Mel, Mr. Ness, Raheim), Aretha Franklin, Sammy Hagar, The Ronettes featuring

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Sweden - Studer has taken an order for one of its compact Vista 5 digital audio consoles from a new venue attached to the Stadsteater in Gothenborg, the first in Scandinavia to choose the Vista 5 as a front-of-house mixing desk. The sale of the first Swedish Vista 5 has been followed by the appointment of a new distributor in Sweden, LydRommet Sverige A/B.

The Vista 5 console is destined for the Backa Teater company, part of the Gothenborg City Theatre, or Stadsteater, and generally regarded as one of the most interesting and attractive theatre groups in Sweden. Music plays a large role in its live productions and there are five musicians working permanently in the group.

In 1989, the Backa company moved into a reconstructed factory on the Hisingen Island close to the central parts of Gothenburg, but, after eighteen years in that building, the City of Gothenburg has decided to

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UK - Marquee Audio has supplied Surrey-based PA rental company Kinetic with a pair of super-compact Yamaha LS9 digital consoles, which have been deployed on a 30-date tour of the UK by Barbara Dickson. The larger of the two desks, an LS9-32, has been used by Kinetic's Gareth Fox-Williams to mix front-of-house sound, provide eight monitor mixes, and multitrack the shows for future possibilities as a live album.

Fox-Williams says preparing for this his third tour with Barbara Dickson was the moment he finally realised the inevitability of digital consoles. "Over the last year, I got my digital head doing a lot of successful work on a Yamaha MC7L digital desk, and when I saw the similarities between that and the LS9, I had to order one, even though I'd not seen one in the flesh. To me, it feels very familiar, very accessible and intuitive to navigate. And the quality outstrips

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USA - APT will introduce its new coding technology apt-X Live, to US Broadcasters at this year's NAB show in Las Vegas. "apt-X Live sets a new benchmark of audio quality, low latency and error resilience," explains APT's commercial director, Jon McClintock. "The industry is demanding ever greater bandwidth efficiency and we sought to provide a solution which meets these demands without compromising on the core competencies associated with apt-X."

apt-X Live has already proven its audio quality in a series of independent listening tests where participants were unable to discern any difference between 24bit, 48kHz PCM Audio and apt-X Live, says the company. Shure Inc has signed a licensing agreement to incorporate the technology into its wireless live performance products.

(Jim Evans)

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UK The merger of MC2 Audio and XTA Electronics has been announced today following three months of fruitful negotiations. This new UK based group, which also includes Quested Monitoring Systems, brings together three of the most well known British professional audio manufacturing companies. The merged group will open up possibilities for each of the individual companies to benefit from a larger pool of resources extending from research and development through to sales and marketing.

Ian McCarthy, one of the founders of MC2 Audio, will head-up the group as managing director with Terry Clarke, co-founder of MC2 Audio and John Austin, co-founder of XTA acting as technical directors, each with responsibility for their own field of expertise, while Roger Quested will continue as technical director for Quested.

Andrew Grayland, co-founder of XTA, is to take a new direction in order t

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UK / German - Adding to its highly acclaimed S-4000 Digital Snake System, Roland Systems Group is announcing the S-1608/0816 Digital Snake System in a fixed 16x8 configuration. Based on the same 24 bit/ 96kHz low-latency REAC protocol used in the S-4000, the new S-1608/0816 features 16+8 high-quality, remote-controllable microphone inputs and 8+16 returns over a standard Cat 5e cable.

Consisting of the S-1608 Stage and S-0816 FOH units, the S-1608/0816 Digital Snake System is ideal for bands, rental/staging houses, and venues such as Houses of Worship and Theatres. It can also be used in conjunction with an S-4000 Modular Digital Snake System to create a 48-input, 16-return high quality digital snake. When used in pairs or multiples, the S-1608/0816 Digital Snake System can be used for extremely flexible split-stage or stage zone set-ups.

Designed to deliver the highest qualit

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UK - At the Guild Hall in Preston, Adlib Audio has completed the design and installation of an ultra-flexible sound reinforcement system, despite the challenges of the infrastructure. The result cleverly addresses the changing needs of the venue, using available technology from Nexo and custom designs from Kelsey Acoustic, as it hosts a huge variety of productions and events both theatre style and in-the-round.

Built in 1972 to mark the Guild Celebrations of that year, the Guild Hall and Charter Theatre is one of Britain's most successful multi-purpose, entertainment, exhibition and conference centres, and is now renowned internationally for its presentation of entertainment and major indoor sporting events. The auditorium, which has an adaptable stage area, can accommodate more than 2000 people for a concert or theatre production. It is also used for high-profile sporting compe

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UK - When Sheriff Taylor set out to convert the Settle Down basement bar in London's affluent Kensington into a venue seeking A-list celebrities, he wanted to create an opulent environment split into three separate areas. Two distinct 'satellite' lounges - the 80-capacity Cocktail Bar and 120-capacity Champagne Bar - would operate off the main club area, which holds a maximum of 300 people.

The interior creation of this £1 million project was entrusted to Siberian designer, Valentina Druzhinina. Each of the rooms is delineated by different chandeliers and a different colour scheme - white for the Cocktail Bar, a warmer brown for the Champagne Bar and black granite and black marble in the main room, with textured black Ulf Moritz wallpaper and curtains.

For their audio requirements, the club contacted residential/home theatre specialists Audio Venue, who were already know

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UK - Justin Hawkins has purchased a Pro Tools / ICON Console system from HHB. Comprising a 32-fader ICOND-Control console, Pro Tools HD3, extensive storage and a full suite of plug-ins,the system forms the heart of the former Darkness frontman's new recording facility in North West London.

"The HHB team has been great to deal with right from the start," reports Hawkins. Commenting for HHB, Greg Wheeler says "Everyone at HHB particularly enjoyed working on this project. The new studio looks and sounds great, and we wish Justin every success."

(Jim Evans)

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USA - Audio Codec Specialists, APT will unveil the latest addition to their new WorldCast IP Codec Range at this year's NAB. The WorldCast Eclipse is a multi-interface, multi-algorithm audio codec for a new age of broadcasting. It offers a professional and sophisticated platform for broadcasters interested in migration to IP, says APT.

The WorldCast Eclipse offers Ethernet, X.21/V.35 and ISDN ports providing access to a wide range of networks such as IP, Leased Line, Satellite, Microwave and Dial-up. Broadcasters can also choose from a selection of major coding algorithms such as Standard and Enhanced apt-X, MPEG 1/2 Layer II/III, MPEG 4 AAC, G.711 and G.722.All WorldCast codecs support SIP and SDP protocols which enable them to easily connect to all compliant IP codecs. All are designed around a DSP-based architecture to ensure reliability and avoid the instability associated w

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USA - Zaxcom is now shipping the ZFR800 handheld digital recording microphone, a system optimised for use in radio interviews, broadcast journalism, podcasting, and any voice-recording application that "requires mobility and superior sound quality".

The ZFR800 records up to eight hours of uncompressed audio on a removable 2-GB memory card. An integrated time-code receiver allows users to jam time code and sync multiple ZFR800 units remotely. Featuring a professional look and feel, the ZFR800 provides an ergonomic, camouflaged control pad for easy one-handed control of all record functions. It can be used with any Shure screw-on capsule, giving users their preferred sonic quality, says the company.

"We're very pleased to be shipping our ZFR800 system and to better meet the needs of today's audio professional," said Glenn Sanders, president of Zaxcom. "T

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UK - K-Klass, the award-winning DJ and Dance remix consortium, is celebrating its latest No.1 in the UK's Dance charts with its 2007 version of Rhythm Is A Mystery.The single, which originally entered the charts in 1990 when it went to No. 3, marks K-Klass' first hit since acquiring a pair of JBL Professional LSR4300 studio monitors, supplied by Harman Pro UK dealer, Liverpool-based Studiocare Professional Audio.

Andy Williams, who founded K-Klass in 1989 with Paul Roberts, Russell Morgan and Carl Thomas, says: "We recently started work in our new pre-production studio in Wrexham, but the small monitors we were using were not giving us the sound we wanted. After looking at a number of alternatives, we chose the LSR4300s because their low frequency correction tool gave us such a fantastic sound. This is particularly important with Dance music where you really need to

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UK - Nitelites, the North East provider of sound, lighting and staging, has re-confirmed its commitment to JBL Professional's range of products by investing in eight Vertec VT4880A subwoofers. The units, which were supplied by Harman Pro UK, are being powered by four new Crown IT8000 amplifiers to provide 32kW of sub-bass for Nitelite's existing VT4889 rigs.

Founded in 1984 by current director Jim Moore, Nitelites was born out of a touring system from the halcyon days of 'Rock n Roll.' After years of on the road with Lindisfarne, the system and the company evolved to encompass Moore's experience in the sound reinforcement industry, which over the years has seen him work with artists including Frank Zappa, Journey, Def Leppard, Chris Rea, Dr Hook, Van Halen and Led Zeppelin.

Nitelites has been stocking JBL Professional's Vertec series for six years and was one of the first tour

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Germany - Novation, the UK-based manufacturers of synthesisers and software control solutions, announced at ProLight + Sound the signing of a partnership with Italian software company and Almateq brand, Overloud,experts in the field of accurate Guitar Amp simulation.

This collaboration falls in line with the future direction of Novation, in creating a broader group of products for all musicians, including today's guitarists, says the company.

Rob Jenkins, Focusite/Novation's director of product strategy, said, "I look forward to a future developing products with Overloud, and as a guitarist myself, I especially look forward to working with Thomas Serafini. His expertise in guitar amp simulation technology is beyond compare."

Thomas Serafini, VP R&D Manager of Overloud, added, "I'm really excited about this partnership. It will be a pleasure to work with the No

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Ireland - Abaltat reports that Abaltat Beat, a new software solution that works as both a beat calculator and a stand-alone rhythm machine, is now available for download from the company's website. This new picture analysis tool will be showcased at NAB2007.

Abaltat Beat reads and analyses the cut picture's edit decision list (EDL) using comparative analysis of beats-per-minute (BPM) and the edited rate of the picture to suggest a series of best-possible fits. This BPM can be played back in sync with the picture using a series of drum patterns included in Abaltat Beat. The time signature and tempo of the drum patterns can be adjusted (from 3/4 to 4/4, for example) to allow for a complete recalculation of the drum track to evaluate suitability of the music style to the edited video.

Abaltat Beat can export these results to a midi file, so the project can easily be sent to a mus

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Singapore - Only once every three years is the annual World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) meeting hosted outside Washington, D.C. In 2006, Singapore was chosen as the venue with about 16,000 delegates attending the meeting.

To accommodate them, 35 meeting rooms were equipped with audio visual equipment and conference microphones - with 14 of these rooms being exclusively equipped with Bosch DCN Next Generation simultaneous interpretation systems for up to nine languages.

The Danish company Teletech was selected as the sub-contractor for supplying the DCN Next Generation interpretation system and worked with the local AV supplier Showtec who installed the AV system.

(Jim Evans)

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Germany - This week's ProLight + Sound in Frankfurt saw the release of Liquid Mix V2.0, a new software release for Liquid Mix, Focusrite's DSP-powered dynamic convolution mix solution, delivering 32 channels of EQ and Compression simultaneously

The new software release will be available for free to download early in April 2007 and delivers a number of improvements over the original software. The new release makes Liquid Mix a no-brainer for producers and engineers wanting classic vintage processing, but with the flexibility of the digital world, says the company.

Liquid Mix v2.0 now features an EQ side-chain on the compressor, providing an additional one-band EQ to be fed into the side-chain of any classic compressor emulation. Combined with the existing 'Listen' feature, this provides a solution for high quality de-essing and more creative compression.

(Jim Evans)

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Germany - Biamp announced at ProLight + Sound the appointment of Claudio Berstein as its newest product application specialist. Berstein will report to Kiley Henner, Biamp's technical support manager, and joins Chris Flanagan, Michael Erwin, Kevin Jacobson, Martin Bonsoir and Antoine Rouget to provide Biamp customers with worldwide support.

"With the addition of Claudio, we continue to expand the level of support that we are capable of providing," said Henner. "Claudio brings a great deal of experience with him, in addition to a love for audio that we knew would make him a great fit for Biamp. We welcome Claudio to the team and are looking forward to great things with him, both on our team and with our customers."

Berstein comes to Biamp from Shure Incorporated, where he worked as both an application engineer and, most recently, as a product specialist in t

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Germany - Steinberg Media Technologies launched a new entry-level music studio at ProLight + Sound in Frankfurt this week. Sequel features studio-grade technologies within a "one-window" user interface that promises to "open up music creation and performance to anyone with a computer", and requires no knowledge of music or recording to produce great-sounding songs and mixes in just a few minutes, says the company.

"Sequel is a brand-new and exciting way to experience making music on a computer," states Arnd Kaiser, senior product manager for music technology at Steinberg. "Combining intuitive tools to record, edit, mix and perform music with great-sounding loops, instruments and effects, Sequel is the perfect first step into music production and performance."

(Jim Evans)

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USA - Crown International's entire line of DSi Series amplifiers dedicated for use in cinema sound systems is now fully 'THX Approved'. The DSi Series joins Crown's current CTs Series and Macro-Tech 02 Series in being recognised by THX as amplifier ranges thoroughly tested and deemed appropriate for use in THX Certified Cinemas.

"The DSi Series marks a true turning point in the advancement of THX approved cinema audio systems as it is the first digitally integrated cinema amplifier that includes the DSP necessary for all loudspeaker processing requirements," says Stephen Morris, Crown director of marketing for cinema, touring and installed sound. "An abundance of crossover features are built into the DSi Series and each amplifier includes 20 presets, 15 of which are perfectly matched with JBL Professional's ScreenArray systems."

DSi Series amplifiers incorp

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UK - US rock band Nine Inch Nails is currently touring the UK and Europe with a JBL Professional Vertec line array sound system, distributed by Harman Pro UK and supplied by Liverpool-based Adlib Audio.

The tour, which kicked off in Portugal in February, will see the band playing a variety of venues in the UK, Spain, France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, The Netherlands and Scandinavia before it moves to Australia and the Far East over the Summer.

Andy Dockerty, head of Adlib Audio, says: "The JBL Vertec line array was specified by the band's front of house sound engineer, Pete Keppler, who wanted to replicate the system he'd been using for their US tour. We have worked with Pete on several occasions in the past and he is always happy with the service he receives from us."

As the long-time front of house engineer for artists such as David Bowie, Keppler is

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