USA - Audio-Technica has announced updates to its award-winning Artist Elite 4000 Series and 5000 Series Frequency-agile True Diversity UHF Wireless Systems. To signify the enhancements, the letter "a" will be added to the end of all 4000 and 5000 Series system model numbers.

Product updates include a new backlit LCD on transmitters and locking battery door on UniPak body-pack transmitters; two-colour (green/red) power/mute LED to indicate on/mute status; new 25kHz spacing, providing up to 996 selectable frequencies; and a new v3.0 of the AEW Control Interface Software, which now works with all popular operating systems. A newly announced five-year warranty is also included.

Audio-Technica's updated Artist Elite 4000 and 5000 Series Frequency-agile True Diversity UHF Wireless Systems will be available Spring 2010.

(Lee Baldock)

Switzerland/USA - Barix AG will introduce Store and Play, a new FTP/HTTP download and playback application for in-store audio programming at the upcoming Digital Signage Expo, taking place 23-25 February at the Las Vegas Convention Centre.

"While digital signage and out-of-home networks remain the big buzz for in-store entertainment and advertising, many businesses continue to rely on audio as their main resource for reaching customers at the point of purchase," said Johannes G. Rietschel, CEO and Founder of Barix AG.

"Recent studies have proven that the right mix of music and advertising can have a significant influence on brand perception and in-store atmosphere, de-stressing both customers and employees to respectively increase purchasing and raise productivity. The Barix Store and Play application can deliver these benefits to retailers and hospitality busin

Kenya - Gearhouse South Africa supplied full technical production - sound, lighting, AV & video, staging, sets, rigging and power - and one of their massive new In2Structures SupaDome venues for Swedish cosmetics multinational Oriflame's 2010 Diamond Conference.

This was hosted at the Sarova Whitesands Hotel & Spa in Bamburi, near Mombasa on the Kenyan coast, and produced by Oriflame's in house production team.

The project, the site and the logistics were managed for Gearhouse by Bill Lawford and Eyal Yehezkely, working closely with account handler Gareth Hadden.

Forty four Gearhouse SA crew - designers, engineers and technicians - worked across all the disciplines, utilising 63 tonnes of production equipment that was air freighted out of SA via Nairobi in a 747 freighter. The SupaDome was transported to Mombasa in seven 40ft Hi-Cube sea freight containers.

The event compr

China - The five-star Hua Sheng Jiang Quan Hotel, which opened recently in Linyi (in China's Shandong province), is the first venue in the country to take a WideLine 8 line array system from QSC Audio. The system was supplied by PCI, QSC's territorial distributors.

Owners, the Hua Sheng Jiang Quan Group, a Top 500 company in China, aspire to world-class standards from construction through to design, decoration - and all the technical equipment that forms the infrastructure.

The hotel incorporates in excess of 40 conference rooms of different sizes, with the multi-purpose function hall (measuring 4700m2) being the most important.

This line array system comprises 24 WL3082 full-range enclosures and eight WL212 subwoofers. It is driven by QSC's muscular PowerLight PL3 amplification, controlled by BASIS processing, using Intrinsic Correction technology. Field support was offered

UK - Blackbox Recorder manufacturer JoeCo has announced the release of its latest software update. Version 1.1 now allows recording direct to USB flash drives and will also format any USB2 disk drive as required. These latest features are designed to make live performance recording even more flexible and cost effective for both new and more established bands and artists, says the company.

"As well as being a great touring resource, the BlackBox Recorder is also ideal for installing in smaller venues, pubs and clubs, permanently hooked up to a live console," says JoeCo managing director Joe Bull. "It gives visiting bands and artists a rare opportunity to take away a multi-track of their performance, without the need to bring half their home studio with them.

"Now, it's simply a case of plugging in a flash drive before the start of the set and pressing record

USA - QSC Audio has announced an extension to its AcousticDesign ceiling speaker range, with the release of two new high-output models: the AD-C1200 and AD-C820/C821.

The AD-C1200 High-output Ceiling Mount Loudspeaker System features 12" low frequency woofer, 1.75" diaphragm compression driver, 300W continuous power rating, and a 70V / 100V multi-tap transformer (enabling the system to operate in distributed or low-impedance mode).

The AD-C1200 has been designed for music playback, public address and distributed audio in applications that require high output from a ceiling mounted loudspeaker.

The AD-C820 and AD-C821 are acoustically identical and designed for music playback, public address and distributed audio in applications that require high output from a ceiling mounted loudspeaker. Both models use custom designed transducers and crossover networks, in combina

The Netherlands - Equipson reports a very successful ISE show. This year, two products from WORK specially stood out, says the company. The Digiline series and the IC6ProA, that received the InAVation Award 2010 for the best innovation in loudspeakers for commercial use.

Last year, a beta version of the Digiline series (all-in-one solution for digital audio processing) was presented at ISE and achieved "great results". This year the series was shown with the presentation of WorkNet Control, the software for the Digiline series. Enables interfacing for a full visualization and an independent audio processing of each output signal.

(Jim Evans)

Germany Rental company Padco has supplied a Midas PRO6 for a spectacular European tour by Queen Esther Marrow and the Harlem Gospel Singers. The tour, which moved through Denmark, France, Austria, Switzerland and Germany, ended in Belgium at the end of January.

Putting the system through its paces on this vibrant show was German front of house engineer Werner Schmidl who, by his own admission, didn't get to choose the audio equipment on this tour. "As someone who was used to using another brand of digital console, it was hard to convince me, especially as I only had a few hours to get into the PRO6," he says.

"However Lars Lüdemann (from Midas' German distributor Mega Audio) did a great job in training me quickly. The whole system can be easily set up in a few minutes. The PRO6 is very logical and user friendly to operate. The control surface, which works with

UK - MTA Audio is a new company specialising in the sales and distribution of RF audio for broadcast, film and live work. Focusing initially on Lectrosonics products, founder members Rob Piddington and Paul Hodsman will be concentrating on reintroducing this brand back into the UK marketplace.

Piddington is well known within the pro-audio community having held long-term senior sales and marketing positions at companies such as Sennheiser and Harman. Piddington says: "Lectrosonics have long been recognised as a global leader in wireless systems and now that Ofcom have allocated Channel 38 for PMSE users in the UK, it means 2010 presents an exciting opportunity for Lectrosonics' comprehensive product line."

Hodsman, who formerly ran his own advertising and marketing agency in the City, adds, "We are the first significant post-recessionary dealership to come into t

UK - Tannoy's QFlex digitally steerable array system has been installed with great effect in one of Glasgow's most modern university conference facilities.

The Saltire Centre in Glasgow Caledonian University is home to the campus library and offers students access to the resources they need, in an open and airy environment. The £23m learning centre, situated in the heart of the university's campus, won several architecture and design awards after opening in January 2006 with the objective of integrating all learning and students services in one building.

The main atrium within the Saltire Centre has been used for events by the University, using hired in conventional loudspeaker systems, and had always resulted in complaints about the quality and intelligibility of the audio or the intrusiveness of the speaker positions.

In early November 2009, after an on-site demonstr

USA/Italy - FaitalPRO reports a recently very successful Namm 2010. A major success was the award winning 18"super woofer, 18XL 1500. With 3000 Watt maximum power, 98dB SPL, an exclusive demodulated neodymium magnet assembly, it is appreciated for power, rapid response and unparalleled linear excursion, says the company.

A new HF compression driver, the HF144, with 1,4" mouth, implementing an innovative Ketone-Polymer diaphragm has combined characteristics of rigidity and elasticity, in order to guarantee the reduction of break-up in the high end of the response curve, typical of metallic diaphragms.

The new 15" FaitalPRO, 15FX560 is a product capable of satisfying even the most refined and demanding cabinet manufacturers. A loudspeaker with very important characteristics that an experienced engineer requiring a technically superior product can really appreciate

UK - An appeal court defeat for the company that licences music in shops is a victory for retailers, said the British Retail Consortium (BRC). It will save retailers £5 million a year and win them a £20 million refund of excessive charges they have paid over the last five years.

Today (Friday 12 February) Phonographic Performance Ltd (PPL) lost an appeal against a ruling - made last October by the Copyright Tribunal - that licence fee increases it had imposed were excessive.

Shops and other businesses that play recorded music (including from television and in-store or conventional radio stations) have to pay for a licence. PPL collects the copyright fees on behalf of record companies. In 2005 PPL dramatically increased the licence fee charges. Some outlets saw their costs more than double overnight. For example one clothing retail group's bill rose from £176,

USA - Audio-Technica has announced updates to its 3000 Series Frequency-agile True Diversity UHF Wireless Systems. Now offering up to 1001 selectable UHF frequencies in 25kHz spacing in three available frequency bands (including the US's new I Band), Audio-Technica's upgraded 3000 Series delivers outstanding professional performance. Nine new pre-coordinated frequency scan groups simplify selection of usable frequencies in a multi-channel wireless system, the company says.

The UniPak body-pack transmitter features a backlit screen for easy reading in low-light situations and a locking battery door for added security. A three-position sliding cover on the transmitter's control panel prevents accidental shutoff or channel-switching.

The 3000 Series is available with either a dynamic or condenser handheld transmitter featuring robust metal construction and slim ergonomic design.

UK - BBM Electronic trading as Trantec has recently confirmed Leisuretec Distribution as its 'premier distributor' for 2009. The Surrey based radio microphone experts reported record growth in sales from Leisuretec over the last 12 months, re-affirming the company's long standing business relationship.

An alliance was initially formed between Trantec and Leisuretec in the early 1990's during the disco and aerobic market boom, at which time both companies enjoyed the success of the thriving entertainment markets. For over 15 years they have continued to trade, enjoying a long standing relationship. 2009 saw Leisuretec reach new heights with the brand, becoming Trantec's top grossing distributor.

Steve Baker director, BBM electronics comments: "We endeavour to understand and meet the needs of all our customers. It is particularly important when dealing with our distributors

Germany - Following extensive investment, a 170sq.m auditorium has been opened at the headquarters of loudspeaker manufacturer KME in Klingenthal. An audio competence centre with optimised, lively acoustics has been created to present KME systems under live conditions, the company says.

The new building includes a functional acoustic structure with symmetrical room design, with frequency neutral reverberation time delivering a natural listening experience. The space allows the company to demonstrate not only the acoustic properties of the systems, but also hardware features like rigging and mounting options.

Modern electronic and media infrastructures are also installed. An extensive audio-video production delivers a comfortable control of all elements. Heavy load mounting point with ChainMaster D8Plus chain hoists and FD34 truss allow the mounting of bigger systems, such as K

The Netherlands - Alcons reports another very successful participation in the ISE show. This year's highlights on the Alcons stand were the CRMS three-way reference cinema sound system and the LR7 micro pro-ribbon line-array system.

As a result of the increasing interest in Alcons pro-ribbon sound systems for sound-for-picture applications, Alcons Audio showed the CRMS system. The Cinema Ribbon Monitor System is a reference-quality sound reproduction system, with fully matched loudspeaker, processing and amplifier components.

The three-way reference system is designed for A/V projects, high quality screening rooms, post-production rooms and high quality home theatre installations.

The LR7 micro pro-ribbon line-array saw its first appearance at ISE in final finished mode, including the LR7B micro line-array bass.

Alcons MD Tom Back comments: "Again, the ISE show was ab

Estonia - Located in Estonia's capital Tallinn, the Solaris Cultural and Leisure Centren is a gleaming new arts, retail, and cinema complex. The centre's primary venue, the 1,829-seat Nokia Concert Hall, features Meyer Sound's Constellation acoustic system and sound reinforcement loudspeakers.

The Nokia Concert Hall was envisioned from the outset as a multi-use venue for hosting a broad range of events, spanning everything from plays, corporate presentations, and rock concerts to opera, chamber music, and symphony orchestras. As such, the hall relies on the flexibility of Constellation to provide acoustical environments ideal for each production. Operators may select one of the five pre-programmed Constellation presets to create frequency-balanced, natural reverberation with decay times spaced between one second (off) for amplified concerts and two seconds for choral and organ m

Germany - The Music Group has announced the departure of Michael Deeb from the roles of group CEO and director. Uli Behringer and Arie van den Broek will lead the Group on an interim basis as it searches for a permanent CEO replacement. Arie van den Broek served Behringer as CEO for several years.

Founder and chairman Uli Behringer stated, "Changes are always challenging but also present great opportunities. We have just celebrated our 20th anniversary and as we enter our third decade, we are once again reinventing our company."

The Music Group recently acquired the Midas and Klark Teknik brands and embarked on a major repositioning of the Behringer brand. Uli Behringer continued, "Despite the change internally, this will not impact the high level of service our dealers and customers have grown to expect. I am confident that we have the very best team in the ind

Saudi Arabia - Outline reports that its loudspeaker systems were used to amplify the 2010 edition of the Global Competitiveness Forum, held at the Four Seasons Hotel, in the Kingdom Centre, Riyadh.

Founded by the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) in 2006, the Global Competitiveness Forum, a meeting held annually, is regularly transmitted by TV broadcasters Al Jazeera, NBC and Bloomberg.

Through the years, the GCF has attracted thousands of eminent political leaders, multinational company CEOs, ministers, government officials, intellectuals and academicians from every corner of the globe, with the sole aim of meeting and exchanging ideas.

Due to the event's importance at international level, Events AVP, whose chairman is Sharif Tabbara - exclusive Outline distributor for Jordan - was selected, as it is a company with the necessary experience for supplying the

Germany - The upcoming ProLight+Sound Show in Frankfurt sees the world premiere of Camco's new V8 high-performance Class H amplifer, delivering 8800 Watts of power whether in two Ohm or four Ohm mode. The first of three planned additions to the celebrated Camco Vortex Series, the V8 shows off a new design aesthetic and streamlined user interface, says the company.

There are no control knobs or switches, front or back. In this new format, the control of all parameters is via screen display and gain sliders.

"The new V8 is much beefier than its distinguished stablemate the Vortex 6, because the industry across-the-board is asking for more power from its amplifiers," explains Camco international sales director Mick Anderson. "This unit will give you 4400 watts of peak power per channel whether you use two Ohm or four Ohm mode; being able to sustain the same power o

Germany - The Lanxess Arena in Cologne recently played host to one of the city's most widely- anticipated events of the year. On New Year's Eve, no fewer than 10,000 fans flocked to the arena to witness the 40th anniversary concert of German cult band, the Bläck Fööss. Cologne-based full service production company, event-solution Veranstaltungstechnik, was responsible for providing all the audio equipment required for the highly complex show, including an Innovason Eclipse digital mixing console at FoH and a Grand Live on monitors.

Event-solution have been the Bläck Fööss's supplier of choice for their big New Year's Eve shows for the last eight years, looking after every aspect of the audio set-up including mixing consoles, microphone set-up, stage monitoring, and of course the main PA system. This year, for a change, the band used in-ear monitoring. "The specially-d

Romania - ARX Systems has announced the appointment of Constanta based Graffitti Pro Audio as its distributor for Romania.

ARX managing director Colin Park comments: "Mircea Dante, general manager of Graffitti told me he is especially excited by the prospects of introducing our USB DI Series products and the new USB I/O Universal Transformer Isolated USB Interface to their Pro Audio clients and market, as well as the MSX series of Signal Distribution products, the AudiBox series of audio toolbox essentials, and the rest of the ARX signal processing range."

Alongside ARX, Graffitti currently represents a select collection of other high end pro audio manufacturers including Funktion One and Mc2 Audio.

(Jim Evans)

Canada - The 2010 Winter Olympics, which opened in Vancouver on 12 February, combine leading edge technology in the three divisions of live, broadcast and recording production; and Optocore is the network of choice for the service providers responsible for making the audio transmission a success.

As the host broadcaster supporting 14 international networks, CTV's Olympic post sound supervisor Mike Nunan has continued his use of Optocore in critical International Broadcast Centre applications by creating a 100-plus channel routing network at the International Broadcast Centre between his edit suites and his post sound control room, utilising DD4ME MADI interfaces, DD32E AES network devices, X Series remote preamp/converters and YG/YS interface cards. Additional signal transport and remote control via Optocore is the interfacing of numerous Neumann Solution D digital microphones.<

USA - Rihanna is currently promoting her fourth album, Rated R, with high-profile live and televised performances in the United States and Europe, taking her longtime favourite combination Sennheiser SKM 5200 handheld microphone with MD 5235 capsule wherever she goes.

Rihanna has been using the SKM 5200 since adopting it for her first headlining tour at the end of 2007. According to monitor engineer Brian Evans, on this tour her two background vocalists are also using the SKM 5200/ MD 5235 combination. The wireless vocal mics are being used together with Sennheiser's EM 3732 twin receivers.

Rihanna's music has long had a rock sensibility, but the music on her new album and the current live band line-up really brings that harder edge to the fore. "It's a serious bunch of players," says Evans, "We have the all-time classic, Sennheiser MD 421 II on our lead

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