Sound

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Malawi - By supplying a complete DVX monitor system to the four-day vinspired Lake Of Stars (vLOS) festival recently, dBTechnologies provided headliners The Maccabees and many other UK and African bands with a calibre of sound reinforcement never before heard on the palm-fringed shores of Lake Malawi.

A total of eight DVX DM15s, a DVX12 and a DVA S10 subwoofer were loaned to the festival, much to the delight of vLOS stage tech/engineer, Craig Williams. "They were incredibly easy to set up and had a sonic clarity and detail you would not usually expect from a self-powered monitor," he reports.

"They are awesome products that I would take anywhere in the world, especially in a situation where weight, size and reliability are an issue," continues Williams. "The limiting system meant I could spend more time with the African artists and less time wor

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USA - Crown has introduced its next generation line of XLS Series amplifiers, which it says provide "a new benchmark for amplifiers in the MI category". The four models in the XLS series implement a flexible PureBand Crossover System: a user can select crossover points from 50Hz to 3kHz, allowing for precise matching of specified crossover points on most bi-amplified loud speakers. Increased Control is also highlighted by the three selectable channel modes and clip limiters designed to protect loudspeakers that can be turned on and off by channel.

PeakX limiters allow higher output levels than conventional analog limiting while providing driver protection, and deploy algorithms derived from the OmniDrive HD loudspeaker processing in Crown's flagship I-Tech HD Series.

The new XLS series amplifiers also feature Integrated DriveCore Technology to keep the power supply p

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Austria - Vienna-based Concept Solutions is a major system provider in the Austrian market, servicing everything from small to large live music events, club gigs and corporate functions. Recently the company needed to expand its mixing console inventory and invested in the DiGiCo SD8.

"I had heard a lot about the great sound of DiGiCo consoles, so I decided to try them out," says Raphael Rupprecht, Concept Solutions technical director. "I tried the D1 and was amazed at the quality of the preamps, the EQs and the dynamics. Even my reference CDs sounded better over the PA when routed via the D1 - I could hear details I had never heard before."

The next DiGiCo console he tried was the SD8, and this immediately became the 'gold standard' for Concept Solutions.

"I contacted local distributor TON Eichinger and got an SD8 for evaluation. We tested the desk

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USA - Hot on the heels of its new DN-X1700 flagship mixer, Denon DJ has announced the launch of the DN-X1600 model at NAMM. Derived from the same R&D development programme, the DN-X1600 offers much of the same quality, performance and a comparable feature set to a wider market at a more affordable price point, the company says.

Like the DN-X1700 announced last week, the DN-X1600 similarly represents a new class of DJ mixer, in particular providing a new feature and performance standard in its price category. The DN-X1600 shares many of the same features and performance specifications, as well as offering some new and improved features of its own. Included are Alps channel faders, extensive USB connectivity (both Windows and MacOS compatible), matrix input assignment with DVS mode, 32-bit internal digital processing, simultaneous MIDI operation - expanded to provide wide ranging

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Germany - Steinberg has announced the immediate availability of a fully functional trial version of its Cubase 5 Advanced Music Production System. All that's needed to use the full 30-day trial version is a USB eLicenser and a MySteinberg account at www.steinberg.net.

The Cubase 5 software can be downloaded from the Steinberg website or obtained on DVD from any authorized Steinberg dealer. Users of other DAW products who do not yet own a USB eLicenser receive a full refund on the price of the USB eLicenser in the Steinberg online shop when buying the full Cubase 5 version.

"The Cubase 5 Trial version is the ideal way for customers of older Cubase versions or any software that uses the USB eLicenser to try out Cubase five for 30 days," comments Helge Vogt, Steinberg's product marketing manager for Cubase.

"Importantly, this is not a functionally limited demo ve

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UK - TOA has launched the Type C line array speaker systems. Type C will be revealed to the audio-visual, sound contracting and system integration communities on the TOA Europe stand at Integrated Systems Europe next month.

The system is based on TOA's phase wavefront control technology for audio clarity and uniform sound dispersion thereby focusing the audio on the intended area more accurately. The Type C offers a choice of 15-degree and 5-degree vertical dispersion angle modules, together with a 15-inch subwoofer enclosure for low-end reinforcement. Different modules can be combined together for their intended application where a combination of short- and long-throw coverage is required, while all three boxes are also available as IPX4-rated splash-proof enclosures.

Both mid-high modules use TOA's proprietary Sync-Drive waveguide design, and can be run in a choice of single

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UK - The Sound of Music featuring sound design by Mick Potter, continues to attract capacity audiences around the UK. Involving nine trailers' worth of equipment and scenery, The Really Useful Company's take on the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein original requires a backstage crew of 92, a cast of 28, a 14-piece orchestra, and scenery on a mountainous scale requiring five-ton stage lifts.

Orbital Sound has provided an equally impressive complement of sound equipment, with Mick Potter adapting his original design for the 2006 West End production to cope with the venue variations and the tight schedule on the extensive national tour.

Overall, the touring version of the show matches up closely to the West End production, with the exception of a slightly re-organised orchestra to allow for the logistics of touring a 14-piece band. The sound system revolves around Potter's trad

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USA - FaitalPRO has a strong presence at this week's NAMM show in Anaheim, headed by the release of its latest 15" woofer branded 15FX560.Other product innovations include additions to the 'Serie 520', where the present 15" currently available on the market is joined by two new models, respectively 10" and 12", to complete the series that will be available within the first quarter of the year.

There are also new products in the compression driver area for the HI's, including the HF144 which features neodymium magnets, a 65mm voice coil and 1.4" mouth. Incorporating a Ketone-polymer diaphragm and an innovative annular phase plug, it holds 80 W nominal power, characterized by an efficiency of 109 dB (1W@1m) and a frequency range of 700 Hz to 18 kHz.

Flavio Naggi, FaitalPRO overseas sales manager, comments: "For us, this NAMM will be the most success

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USA - Sensaphonics has announced at NAMM the introduction of its latest model, the 3MAX triple-driver custom earphone. The first triple-driver earphone with the long-wearing comfort of soft-gel silicone earpieces, the 3MAX also features a field-replaceable cable as standard. By combining a proprietary twin-driver bass system with a precision high frequency driver, the 3MAX delivers exceptionally accurate in-ear audio with higher SPL and more bass headroom than any previous model, says the company.

"We were the first manufacturer to extend low frequency response by adding a second speaker to a custom earphone," notes Sensaphonics president and founder Michael Santucci. "To meet today's demands on IEM earphone performance, we developed a triple-driver design that can deliver as much acoustic push as modern wireless systems can provide, while retaining the sound sign

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The Netherlands - The first Streetcaster screen in Holland was recently launched in the city of Lelystad, where it is placed on the Stadhuisplein in the centre of the city. This screen is the first Dutch project for Streetcaster and will be followed by other screens in several other Dutch cities. For audio reproduction, the screen is fitted with Alcons LR7 micro line-arrays.

A Streetcaster screen is more than just an electronic billboard with video and audio capabilities. "The commercial options of a Streetcaster screen are quite obvious." says creative director Hans ter Burg of Streetcaster. "But a Streetcaster screen does have much more possibilities. Every screen is supported by an editorial staff which engages itself to generate content for the screen. Apart from public announcements and commercial messages, the screen can also be used for news made available

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USA - Proel's Xenia is a series of speakers designed specifically for high-profile installed sound applications and featuring contemporary Italian styling and advanced technical solutions.<>All of the models - on debut this week at NAMM - in the Xenia range utilise high-definition dome tweeters and high-efficiency woofers providing "superior quality, full-range sound for a wide scope of installations where the sound system must blend perfectly into a stylish environment".

X30T is a model specific for paging and background music in environments (shops, restaurants, offices) requiring unobtrusive, small size speakers, able to provide a good SPL and a high-quality sound.

X50T is suitable for a variety of applications requiring a full-range sound in a limited space, such as bars, pubs, department stores and outdoor venues. It delivers an extended response with deep lows

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USA - A recent renovation of Grand Hyatt New York's elegant Empire Ballroom placed a strong emphasis on flexible, high-fidelity sound, with the addition of Tannoy QFlex digitally steerable arrays and CMS in-ceiling loudspeakers, plus various lobby speakers powered by Lab.gruppen C Series amplifiers.

"Our existing sound system didn't offer the quality of playback that we need for guests using our landmark ballroom on 42nd Street in the heart of Manhattan," says Matt Adams, the hotel's VP and managing director."

The Empire Ballroom comprises six interlinked areas that together can host events for between 100 and 1,700 patrons. The larger ballrooms B, C and D are laid out in a row with dividing air walls, while ballrooms A and E plus the West Ballroom serve as satellite areas with interconnected AV systems. "Previously, Grand Hyatt has brought in music-playbac

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USA - Audio-Technica is displaying the AT4050ST Stereo Condenser Microphone, a stereo version of A-T's AT4050 and one of the new offerings from A-T's expanding 40 Series microphones at NAMM this week.

The AT4050ST, developed in direct response to feedback from end users, is a stereo side-address externally polarized (DC bias) condenser microphone with independent cardioid and figure-of-eight elements, configured in a mid-side arrangement with switch-selectable internal matrixing.

The AT4050ST offers sound recordists the choice of selecting a left-right stereo output (wide 127º or narrow 90º) via the microphone's internal matrixing system or choosing discrete mid-side signals for later manipulation. As with all of Audio-Technica's 40 Series microphones, the AT4050ST comes standard with a newly announced extended five-year warranty. This product has also recently been certifie

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Belgium - An Audient Zen mixing desk was the appropriate solution for engineer, songwriter and solo artist Born Meirlaen, who was looking for a versatile console to be at the centre of his studio.

"As an engineer I wanted hands-on control and flexibility," says Meirlaen. "Audient Zen gives me all the control I need. Hooked up with my ProTools HD2 system, a rack full of outboard gear and a small patchbay, I can now do and control everything from one location, be it providing eight separate mixes for tracking several musicians at once, to mixing down 32 channels coming from PT and inserting outboard and adding FX without compromise.

"What's even better is that I've got 16 more great sounding preamps and a versatile bus compressor added to the already fantastically clean and crisp sounding desk.

"I need to be able to grab any opportunity or challenge t

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Russia - French loudspeaker manufacturer APG reports that it has enjoyed steady growth in the Russian market due to the "sterling work" of its sales partner, Yugdoka, based in southern Russia. No less than five clubs in Krasnodar Krai region of southern Russia have been installed with APG systems in the last six months.

The principal loudspeaker of choice for these clubs is the multi-purpose, high precision, high power SMX15 monitor speaker from APG. Across the five clubs, a total of 20 SMX15s have been installed, supplemented by APG's TB218S subs, with the exception of Club Malibu in Krasnodar city which has four APG DS15S multipurpose Dispersion Series loudspeakers, supplemented by two TB218S subs.

The nightclub industry is clearly thriving in this part of Russia - each club boasts its own website and is sumptuously furnished and decorated. The biggest club, the Mo

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UK - Liverpool- based Adlib supplied sound and lighting to Russell Howard, star of Mock The Week and Russell Howard's Good News for his recent UK arena tour, braving the snow, ice and freezing fog typical of the inclement weather conditions gripping the country on a gruelling 10 date back-to-back schedule.

Adlib's sound crew was chiefed by Marc Peers, who also mixed monitors. At front of house, James Neale also shared system tech duties with Richy Nicholson.

The JBL VerTec PA system was picked for its versatility and fast rigging capabilities. The main hangs consisted of 14 VerTec 4889 elements per side, with side-hangs of 10 4889s. There were four VerTec 4880A subs on the ground to add body and fullness to the sonic mix.

For front in-fills, Neale used four L-Acoustics dv-DOSC cabinets, with two L-Acoustics ARCs a side for out-fills.

The VerTec was powered by

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The Netherlands - Duran Audio has announced that they will be launching the latest version of their Digital Directivity Analysis (DDA) software at ISE in Amsterdam.

The very first version of DDA was designed as a tool to allow AXYS Intellivox and Target users the ability to shape the vertical dispersion of their Intellivox DDS and Target DDS arrays. In addition to this it was also a modelling tool for Intellivox DDC arrays. Over the years DDA has continued to develop and now offers a very comprehensive range of features.

Providing system designers with the ability to "steer" or "shape" the beam from their array is still at the heart of DDA but the software now offers the ability to model: Direct Sound, Total SPL, Direct to Reverberant Ratio, Speech Transmission Index (STI), Delay Spread and receiver responses. All of which are calculated using a statistical

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USA - Waves Audio and DiGiCo have announced a technology agreement. The joint announcement was made at the Winter NAMM Show in Anaheim, California, by Mick Olesh, Waves Executive VP, sales and marketing, and DiGiCo managing director James Gordon and DiGiCo marketing director David Webster.

Waves and DiGiCo have agreed to work together to integrate Waves' new SoundGrid technology into DiGiCo's single FPGA Stealth Digital Processing products for the live sound industry. Further details about this strategic alliance are to be unveiled over 2010.

Commenting on the agreement, Olesh stated: "DiGiCo has always been on the forefront in digital mixing technology. Their consoles have been acknowledged as an industry leader, and everyone at Waves is extremely excited to be able to work with their R&D team. We look forward to a close working relationship."

"The arrival of

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UK - Award-winning UK music writer/producer Fraser T Smith, the man behind multiple hit songs for artists such as Tinchy Stryder, Pixie Lott, James Morrison and Taio Cruz, has become the latest high-profile customer to buy a Prism Sound ADA-8XR multichannel converter.

"I was looking for the highest quality A/D and D/A converters possible - and for an amazing master clock. The Prism Sound ADA-8XR was an obvious choice," says Smith. "I looked at dedicated A/Ds and D/As and super high-end master clocks, but the Prism Sound unit won in every blind test that I did. I spoke to a lot of mastering engineers and everyone rated the ADA-8XR in terms of everyone rated the ADA-8XR in terms of sound quality and reliability."

Since buying the ADA-8XR, Smith has used it on all his mixes and tracking, mixing Taio Cruz's number one hit Break Your Heart and recording J

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Show News - The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) has announced the final registration and exhibitor numbers for the 2010 NAMM Show, the longest-running trade show in the United States. At show close, NAMM reported 87,569 registrants, a 2 percent increase from last year. International registration experienced a 2 percent decrease from last year. The association reported 1,373 exhibitors at this year's show, including nearly 250 new exhibitors - a new record number in the event's 108-year history.

"This year's NAMM Show marks a critical turning point for the international music products industry," said NAMM president and CEO Joe Lamond. "A strong NAMM Show signals the beginning of a comeback with buyers returning to their hometowns with renewed energy, passion and hope for a strong 2010, and exhibitors enjoying strong floor traffic and sales as they in

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USA - An iLive system, comprising an iDR-32 MixRack and iLive-T112 Control Surface, recently completed a countrywide tour with US rock band, Vertical Horizon.

"I've been working with them for about three years but it's mostly been a lot of fly dates," says FOH engineer and tour manager, Jay Phebus. "When they decided to do a real US tour, I knew exactly what I wanted to take on the road with me. iLive's got a great sound, small footprint, it's incredibly flexible, and the price point is amazing, which is a real factor in touring these days."

Vertical Horizon's equipment requirements comprise two guitars, three vocals, bass and drums, with some triggered percussion and keyboard parts from a hard disc machine to give an authentic feel to their hits. Both guitars are dual-output systems, with a piezo system complementing traditional pickups, which can be switc

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UK - Having settled into its new, more spacious and picturesque premises in Enfield, radio microphone and in-ear specialist Hand Held Audio reports that it has spent some time re-organising its wireless rental stock. The object has been not only to anticipate the coming changes in spectrum availability, but also to offer more choice to rental customers in terms of price and brand, the company says.

Ofcom recently announced that from 4 January this year Channel 38 would be available (with regional restrictions) for radio mic use in the same way as Channel 69. This is to smooth the path to the loss of Channel 69 on 1 January 2012 (a direct result of the Ofcom spectrum sell-off following the Digital Switchover). Hand Held Audio says that it has put together an investment plan for 2010 that includes systems from AKG, Sennheiser, Shure and Trantec, covering a considered and diverse r

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UK - Hundreds of churches could face bills to replace or retune sound equipment rendered useless by changes to the way that radio frequencies are allocated. It has prompted the Church of England to join an industry-led campaign to press Government to provide adequate compensation for affected groups.

Many larger churches use wireless microphones to transmit the voice of clergy and others leading services through a public address system. Some of these audio systems, in churches and cathedrals using four or more such 'radio microphones', currently use a channel dedicated for use by programme makers and special events production staff (along with other frequencies that are subject to geographical restrictions). But changes proposed by the communications regulator Ofcom, and supported by Government, to clear and sell spectrum currently used by radio microphones mean that this channe

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UK - Yamaha's Dante-MY16-AUD card is now shipping, offering integration of the latest audio networking technology with a wide range of Yamaha digital audio products. And the new interface is already proving its worth to audio production company Britannia Row.

Yamaha Commercial Audio says it is committed to seamlessly interfacing its digital audio products with the widest array of networking protocols, ensuring that any potential problems of compatibility and different proprietary technologies are no issue for a Yamaha-based system. Audinate's Dante system is the latest to be adopted, with the Dante-MY16-AUD allowing Yamaha digital mixing consoles, DME processors and TXn series power amplifiers to make full use of Audinate's 'plug and play' technology.

Each Dante-MY16-AUD card provides 16 bidirectional audio channels (16 channels at 48 kHz, or eight channels at 96 kHz) over Gig

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  2. Outline Butterflies reinforce Hanoi New Year concert
  3. EAW installation at Duquesne University Ballroom
  4. DiGiCo at Integrated Systems Europe
  5. Yamaha on Remarkable tour with Bill Bailey
  6. K&F Nomos debuts with Lord of the Rings
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