Sound

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UK - The festival season kicked off for rock fans and Peavey at Download Festival 2009 at Donington where acts included headliners Slipknot and a reformed Faith No More.

Peavey reports that its gear was heard from every corner of the festival, as 22 of the acts - including the headliners - are endorsees.

Those plying their trade with Peavey equipment included crossover icons Pendulum, returning for their second year. Download veterans Trivium, and old-school Canadian metallers Anvil made their first appearance at the event since 1982. Alongside them, the fresh blood of Architects, Bring Me The Horizon and technical masters such as Dream Theater and DragonForce.

(Jim Evans)

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UK - A day after its UK launch, the new Digidesign Venue SC48 was in use on a Sam Kruger production at BBC Maida Vale Studio 3, with PA provided by Capital Sound. The show was arranged by the BBC for Paloma Faith to perform her new single Stone Cold Sober, a BBC record of the week, and other tracks from her forthcoming debut album Do You Want The Truth Or Something Beautiful. The event was recorded for Radio 2 Introduces... Paloma Faith, part of Dermot O'Leary's show due to be aired on 20 June.

On FOH was engineer Peter Whitelaw, who says, "The show was the first to fully showcase the complexity and dynamic diversity of Paloma's song writing. With 15 people on stage, including brass, strings, and backing vocals, I knew I needed a dynamic and comprehensive console. The Profile would have been my normal choice, as I'm a big fan of it, but with the launch

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USA - QSC unveiled its new Q-Sys DSP platform to the industry at large for the first time at this week's InfoComm in Orlando, Florida.

Q-Sys takes an evolutionary step forward within the realm of DSP and integration, providing digital audio signal routing and processing technology combined with complete system monitoring and control. Q-Sys can easily meet the needs of applications ranging from the largest imaginable to those much smaller in scope and allotted budget, says the company.

"From concept to finished product, Q-Sys was developed every step of the way by some of the brightest minds in professional audio," said QSC director of marketing Evan McKenzie. "Known for their development of CobraNet and other groundbreaking products and technologies, the team of engineers from Peak Audio in Boulder, Colorado joined QSC in 2006, and have been working since that t

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USA - As a touring band, Of a Revolution (or O.A.R. as it is more commonly known) is still a campus favourite. Formed in 1996 by frontman Marc Roberge and drummer Chris Culos, the band took root within college life in its early years, penning hit songs based on the collective experiences of its members at Ohio State University, and growing on the strength of online distribution and word-of-mouth alone.

Onstage, O.A.R.'s technical evolution has brought them to a point where Shure UHF-R wireless is a primary player among the components responsible for capturing its sound.

"I love the wireless systems, and it's funny," saxophonist and guitarist Jerry DePizzo says: "we did a small club show at the end of our summer tour last year, and my guitar tech handed me a hardwired guitar. I played it for half the show unplugged because I'm so used to being wireless. Plugging

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USA - As of 1 July 2009, Midas Consoles North America has been appointed as the exclusive distribution channel for Midas and Klark Teknik in the USA and Canada.

Based north of Los Angeles, Midas Consoles North America, a wholly owned subsidiary of JAM Industries, is a new distribution company dedicated to the sales and after sales support of Midas and Klark Teknik products.

"This is a huge new chapter in our company history," states David Cooper, sales and marketing director for Midas and Klark Teknik. "It ensures that our present and future customer base in North America is offered dedicated, brand-orientated sales expertise and technical support. We believe that a focused, brand led distribution channel is the best way of ensuring our already industry leading support is maintained and then continually improved. Our aim is simple: to establish the XL8 and PRO6

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Australia - MC2 Audio's Australian distributor, CMI Music and Audio, reports further success in the uptake of the brand across the continent.

Western Australia based Dream Catcha Productions, also known as DC Productions, has been growing what has become a very high end and impressive inventory. Last year Dream Catcha purchased an HK Audio Contour Array system and some Contour Monitors and to add to this system, they have chosen to run with the MC2 Audio E Series amplifiers.

Jeremy Harris, one of DC's Managing Directors, reports, "These amps are awesome. They are so light and powerful we can run a line array system with an amp rack that weights only 27kg. With the MC2 amps it is very easy for one man to go out and set up the whole Contour Array, Monitors and amps."

Dream Catcha has acquired a total of four E45 and six E25 amplifiers. "This is just the start of

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UK - Dolby Laboratories reports that the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) installed Dolby 3D Digital Cinema in its London headquarters' showpiece theatre at 195 Piccadilly.

The Princess Anne Theatre sits at the heart of the BAFTA headquarters building. The cinema equipped with premium digital projection facilities seats more than 220 people and plays host to many leading industry events.

"BAFTA is committed to embracing the ever-changing world of film and with the dramatic growth we are seeing in digital 3D features, it is vital that BAFTA offer a premium experience for its 3D screenings," said Keith Fawcett, head of technical services, BAFTA. "We chose the Dolby 3D system because it produces the most fantastic 3D images without having to change our screen or degrade our 2D presentations. Also, with Dolby's reusable 3D glasses, BAFTA continues

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USA - Loud Technologies has announced the unification of its previously separate engineering, brand management and product management functions and the creation of two market- focused teams: the Pro Audio Group and the Music Gear Group.

"Loud has some of the industry's most admired brands, a brilliant collection of multi-disciplined engineers and truly customer-focused product management teams," said Rodney Olson, Loud CEO. "By unifying these disciplines around our core brands and the markets they serve, we will markedly increase our technical innovation and speed the delivery of the next round of products that leave our customers smiling... and our competitors reeling."

Jeffrey Cox, VP of the Pro Audio Group, will manage the EAW and Martin Audio brands and their market positioning, product strategy and product development efforts. Cox's group will include

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South Africa - Taking the world by storm with their unprecedented tap show, Tap Dogs combines the strength and power of workmen with the precision and talent of tap dancing. Presented in South Africa by Big Concerts and performing in the Teatro at Montecasino, this high voltage show is all about the sound and Prosound has provided a system based around Meyer Sound loudspeakers - Mica Line Array, 700HP Sub Bass and the Galileo Controller.

Prosound hire manager Donovan Calvert comments: "With the use of the PA from opera to rock, no major re-alignment or configuration is needed."

The testosterone filled, multi award winning show started with six guys from a steel town north of Sydney, Australia. Olivier Award-winning choreographer Dein Perry headed the team with designer/director Nigel Triffitt, and composer Andrew Wilkie to create Tap Dogs - "an 80

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UK - The Reproduced Sound conference, which represents the cutting edge of modern audio and acoustics, will celebrate its 25th anniversary this year when the event takes place in Brighton. Under the theme 'The Audio Explosion' the conference allows consultants, manufacturers, contractors and end users to mingle and share their insight and information and is being held at the Thistle Hotel on 19-20 November.

The event, organised by the Electroacoustics Group of the Institute of Acoustics in collaboration with ABTT, AES, APRS and ISCE, has been the leading UK residential conference for audio professionals for 25 years.

Sam Wise, one of the organisers and Chairman of the IOA Electroacoustics Group, said: "Over the last two years Reproduced Sound has raised attendance to new levels and welcomed a wider audience from the audio world - including a lot of students and more of th

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Sweden - Lake has announced the availability of version 5.3 of the Lake Controller software with accompanying new firmware for the Lab.gruppen PLM Series Powered Loudspeaker Management systems. Version 5.3 brings several new features along with increased performance and stability, and can be used by all existing Dolby Lake Processor users as well as operators of PLM Series products.

Among numerous updated functions, the new Lake Controller software adds functionality to set the profile for the PLM's ISVPL (Inter-Sample Voltage Peak Limiter). The profile tunes the ISVPL limiter to be optimised for different frequency bands. By tailoring attack and release times for ISVPL, different frequency bands sonic performance can be increased. The Sub/LF profile adds punch and tightness to all sub and low frequency bands. The Sub/LF profile is recommended for all bands with a low pass of 30

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France - Stéphane Plisson, lead engineer for French equipment hire and production company Dispatch SA, recently selected a Studer Vista 5-42 digital console for the tour of Mylène Farmer, one of France's most successful recording artists selling over 45 million records.

The engineers at Dispatch were so impressed with the Vista, they subsequently purchased the fully tour equipped version, the Vista 5 SR. Olivier Crognennec, Dispatch sound engineer, commented on the Studer Vista 5 SR acquisition, "We were searching for a competitively priced, high-end digital console to update our audio capabilities and the Vista 5 SR was head and shoulders above the rest. The quality of sound is amazing, the engineers of Dispatch made an excellent choice with this console."

On the Mylène Farmer tour, Stéphane Plisson took full advantage of the Vista 5's versatile stat

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UK - Adlib Audio and Lighting has completed the latest John Barrowman tour, working closely with FOH engineer Walter Jaquiss and lighting designer Neil Trenell.

Jaquiss says: "Adlib is always my first choice of audio company. They were able to come up with an excellent package for both lighting and sound and Neil was very happy to work with Adlib Lighting."

The UK tour was preceded by two days' rehearsals at Shepperton Studios, where Jaquiss put up "a reasonably over-the-top set of near-fields in the form of two VerTec 4889s and one VerTec sub a side approximately 8ft away from the FOH desk."

The standard 12 VerTec 4889 a side (left and right) system utilised on the tour was doubled up for the arena shows at Cardiff International Centre and for London's Royal Albert Hall. They also used 12 VerTec subs. The system configuration varied slightly according to

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USA - Shure Incorporated has combined the sales, marketing, and support staff of the company's International Americas Business Unit with the US Business Unit to form the new Americas Business Unit.

"To drive sustained growth for the Company, we decided to align these two business units into one," said Chris Schyvinck, Shure's executive vice president of global marketing and sales. "This new structure enables us to offer a broader set of resources to support our channel partners throughout the Americas - Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean - while continuing the same high level of service and support to our sales reps and customers in the US."

Mark Humrichouser has been appointed general manager of the Americas Business Unit. In this capacity, Mark will lead the overall business for North America, South America, Central America, and

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UK - Vaughan Sound Installations (VSI), part of the PAI Group, has installed its i-Sign room numbering system, ambient lighting control and an iPod driven audio system into all the newly refurbished rooms at The Royal Horseguards hotel, London. The 5 Star 281 room luxury property is located on the banks of the River Thames opposite the London Eye, in the heart of the UK capital.

VSI was employed by the main contractors Beck Interiors for the end client, Guoman Hotels, after being initially commissioned for the project by interior designer Lorna Griffiths. The brief was to create a stylish, state-of-the-art, simple-to-use in-room IT, AV and lighting solution.

The first element of the installation for VSI was to specify a recessed i-Pod interface to link to the in-room flat screen TV and compact audio system, allowing guests to hook up their own iPod or MP3 device and play their

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USA - Aviom has introduced its Pro64 Network Manager PC application at this week's InfoComm. While the Pro64 Series is designed with a simple, front-panel user interface that makes it possible to design sophisticated networks without PC-based programming, the company is introducing a software control application this year for those users who desire centralised control and status monitoring.

This new intuitive, easy-to-use graphical interface provides global and device-specific information to the user, allowing simple management of even complex audio networks, says the company. With Pro64 Network Manager, users have remote control of every Pro64 device in a network using a PC connected to the I/O module set as the Control Master. Both network settings and audio parameters for each device can be managed from one location, simplifying network management, streamlining the workflow,

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USA - Teer Engineering recently completed the installation of high-performance, networked audio systems from Harman Professional for the conference room facilities at the redesigned Reliable Plaza building in Orlando, Florida.

The systems for four discrete, networked conference rooms, comprise components from BSS, Crown, and JBL in addition to playback, video and control technologies from other providers such as AMX. Considered to be the greenest commercial building in downtown Orlando, Reliable Plaza is designed to meet Gold Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification and houses municipal and commercial offices including the Orlando Utilities Commission customer service centre.

Reliable Plaza is designed to use 28 per cent less energy than a typical similarly-sized facility of its kind, so the audio systems for the conference rooms needed to be highly a

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UK - With this year's Wimbledon Championships just a few days away the redevelopment of the world's most famous tennis venue has moved another stage forward-and a North East company is involved.

Sunderland-based Current Thinking has recently extended its VoCall system, which combines both fire telephones and disabled refuge points with incident logging facilities, into the Wimbledon Court Number 2.

Current Thinking managing director Anthony Smith explains: "We were delighted when we were asked to play a part in the Wimbledon redevelopment project and we developed a system specifically to meet the needs of a venue which during the Wimbledon tournament attracts around half a million spectators.

"Our network is designed to provide easy communication for members of the public who cannot easily use usual methods of evacuation and also to assist the emergency services to

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UK - The Black-E community arts project in Liverpool has completed a £6m refurbishment to become the North-West's only in-the-round auditorium. Its triple-height performance space has been transformed by a beefy central cluster of Nexo Alpha-E PA, designed and installed by SSE Sales, who had to overcome a number of acoustic challenges set by the architecture of this former Congregational Chapel.

The Black-E originally derived its nickname - the Blackie - in the 1960s, as over 100 years of smoke and grime had stained the chapel's stonework black. It was at that time when the building was given a new lease of life as the UK's first community arts project.

SSE Sales was approached in late 2008 by Dan Mills, technical manager of The Black-E, to provide a sound reinforcement system for the newly-refurbished performance space, but this was by no means straightforward. T

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UK - The Underglobe, as the name suggests, is situated in the depths of the Shakespeare Globe Theatre in London and has recently installed a sound system comprising Meyer Sound speakers and Allen & Heath digital mixing products, including the new iLive-T Series. The Underglobe is host to the Globe Exhibition, and venue for the Globe's corporate and educational events.

Autograph Sales was appointed to help design and install the system with sound designer, Sarah Weltman. Having collaborated before on the refit of the Young Vic Theatre in Waterloo, the Globe's technical manager, Paul Russell, asked Weltman to design a system of high quality, capable of fulfilling almost any event that the Underglobe may host.

"Flexibility, versatility and speech intelligibility were the key aims of the system, whilst keeping control and operation simple to enable a non-technical end user to

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Italy - The philanthropism of Italian Cashmere magnate Brunello Cucinelli has included his investment in the sympathetic restoration and development of the historic medieval village of Solomeo, near Perugia. Central to this project is Teatro Cucinelli, a brand new 230-seat theatre whose design is inspired by the 400-year-old Farnese theatres in Parma and Sabbioneta. Complementing the venue's elegant historic design is a state-of-the-art Yamaha audio system.

Stephan Luthi of Acoustic Light, who designed and installed the audio system, says: "The theatre hosts a range of events, from opera and live music to conferences, and we wanted the system to be acoustically very discreet in terms of the uniformity of sound, and very subtle in terms of it not being obvious that the sound is amplified."

In addition, the hands-on Mr Cucinelli wanted the system to be able to carry au

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USA - After two years, almost 2,000 attendees have participated in Shure Incorporated's Advanced Wireless Seminars around the United States, most recently in Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

"We consider this a significant milestone for us, and we're looking forward to continuing this programme," said Gino Sigismondi, training manager for Shure. "With all of the uncertainty surrounding White Spaces over the past few years and with so many unanswered questions about the future of the wireless landscape, our customers need this kind of training now more than ever."

The company has been staging these events around the US since mid-2007 and most recently hosted two of the sessions on the West Coast for dealers, sound contractors, consultants, and technicians from major entertainment venues, including Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm, The Mirage, and The Flamingo casino

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Upbeat in Orlando - InfoComm International has announced that InfoComm 09 (17-19 June, Orlando, Florida), the annual conference and exhibition for professional audio-visual buyers and sellers worldwide, was the biggest commercial AV show ever held on the East Coast of the United States, with more than 29,000 AV professionals attending from more than 80 countries. There were 850 exhibitors participating this year, representing an increase of 80 since the last time the event was in Orlando. "InfoComm continues to be the one trade show where most professional AV service providers make their important buying decisions for the year," said Randal A. Lemke, executive director, InfoComm International. "Despite the global economy, the AV marketplace has enthusiastically embraced InfoComm as the place to make their purchasing choices, network with product and service provider

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World - On Tina Turner's current world tour, sound engineer Dave Natale deployed AKG C214 microphones as well as a WMS4500 wireless system. Natale initially tested the C214 mic on a sound check in AKG's hometown of Vienna, Austria and immediately began using the mic on the current tour.

"While touring Austria on the Tina Turner tour, I had the ability to experiment with the C214 as well as other AKG products and I immediately fell in love with the C214's features and capabilities," commented Natale. "I am very impressed with the C214 and they are now my new standard. The older mics that I use become harder and harder to find, and it is great to find alternatives. This is truly the first microphone, ever, that I have used flat."

In addition to the C214 on the Tina Turner tour, the bassist, Warren McCrae, is pleased with the wireless capabilities of the WMS4

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