Sound

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USA - Blending the modern with the traditional is always a challenge, particularly when it comes to architectural landmarks. Such was the case with the Lancaster County Convention Centre, a $170 million state-of-the-art facility designed to fit within the classic 19th century Pennsylvania Dutch façade of the city's landmark Watt and Shand department store.

The Convention Centre is designed for versatility, with a 46,000sq.ft exhibit hall, 9,000sq.ft ballroom and numerous other meeting areas. This same versatility also presented the biggest challenges in creating an audio system suitable for the space, explains Daniel Rohrer of Sage Technology Solutions in Mt. Joy, PA.

"Aside from addressing the vast differences in the architecture of each different space, we also faced issues of scheduling and coordinating the various phases of the project, building around the historical

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UAE - Nicolas Kyvernitis Electronics Enterprises, distributors of a number of professional audio manufacturers has announced a new business relationship with Sound Devices.

Sound Devices, based in Wisconsin USA has been manufacturing and supplying the field production business since 1998 with various products that include audio mixers, digital recorders, preamplifiers and computer interfaces.

"Sound Devices products are designed to help capture the highest quality audio with products designed to take anywhere our clients must work. Now with NMK Electronics as our new distribution partner we will be able to provide the region with the highest level of support. NMK brings strong audio knowledge and sales experience that will add great value to our customers," commented Ed Capp, sales manager of Sound Devices.

He added, "They will be able to help our customers wi

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UK - PLASA Focus: Leeds 2010 - which takes place on Tuesday 27 and Wednesday 28 April at the Royal Armouries - is fast building its profile as a show for new products as well as networking, with a host of products launching in Frankfurt scheduled to make their first UK appearance in Leeds just a few weeks later. Among these are the latest developments from some of the 31 new exhibitors who have signed up to PLASA Focus since the first show last year - leading to a completely sold out event.

From the audio world, exhibitors include Allen & Heath, showcasing new products including the iDR-16 3U MixRack and iLive-R72, iLive software v1.6, Xone:PB, Xone:XD40 headphones and ZED-10 and ZED-10FX mini mixers; Ateis International with its new ECS-Teleconference unit echo cancellation system; Cloud Electronics' new MA60MEDIA combined mixer/amplifier/digital music player; Duran Audio's AXY

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Germany - At last week's ProLight+Sound in Frankfurt, Yamaha launched the BR Series of passive speakers - an all new five-strong range of front-of-house and monitor speakers designed for "discerning musicians and institutions on a budget".

All models deliver high output right across the frequency range, significantly out performing more expensive audio solutions, and will prove suitable for a wide range of sound reinforcement applications including schools, houses of worship, corporate events and performing musicians, says the company.

The BR Prefix represents Bass Reflex but also encompasses the terms - Built Right, Better Response and Best Reliability, all attributes that characterise the new range.

The compact BR cabinets are carefully designed and engineered to meet the exacting demands of the sound reinforcement professional with high power woofers delivering

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Australia - Moomba is not an event normally associated with a Music Festival, but with amusement rides, water skiing competitions on the river, night time fireworks and a parade. However, in recent years, the organisers have re-introduced a music stage where "local" acts can play. Popular in the '80s, the event marked the participation of most of the famous Aussie bands of the time. This year's Festival, taking place in Melbourne in early March, included Vanessa Amorosi and Colin Hay (Men at Work) among the acts.

The main stage front of house system was the recently purchased Powersoft K Series powered EAW KF740 system. The system consisted eight EAW KF740 mid-sized line array loudspeakers per side, four EAW SB1002 Arrayable Subwoofers (in cardioid array) per side and UX8800 processors, all powered by Powersoft K10s. For the sub-bass the K10s used the DSP cards to impl

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Austria - Lawo, manufacturer of mixing consoles and routing systems, and Optocore are planning closer cooperation in the future, following the successful completion of their first project in Salzburg, Austria. For this, Optocore developed a 'Lawo Emulation Mode', which enables a Lawo console to communicate with Optocore I/O units. This new development allows the Lawo console to receive audio signals and control Optocore preamps.

The installation of a Lawo mc²66 console, and its accompanying transition from analogue to digital mixing console technology, was the focus of modernisation at Mozarteum University last year. This will enable faster workflow and digital networking of the complete building.

"The mc²66 is a reliable console and provides excellent audio quality. Its success in radio stations, theatres and concert houses certainly tipped the balance in favour of Law

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Germany - L-Acoustics introduced its new Kara modular line source system at Prolight&Sound in Frankfurt last week.

With a design inspired by the K1 stadium system, Kara "delivers the highest performance for the rental market". The system features a compact size and lightweight enclosure complying with rigging and visual limitations and the complementary SB18 subwoofer for reinforced LF contour applications. Kara delivers a considerable number of improvements over its predecessor: added LF resources for increased bandwidth and coherence, improved directivity control in the horizontal plane, vertical coverage capability and improved ergonomics thanks to an integrated rigging system and lighter weight.

With a horizontal directivity of 110° and a vertical inter-element variation up to 10°, Kara is fully configurable to match any audience geometry. Utilising the c

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UK - The d&b UK office will host a T-Series product demonstration at The Embassy Theatre in Swiss Cottage, London on Wednesday 14 April. The day will feature the complete T-Series range of loudspeakers, the d&b Remote network and the thinking behind the integrated systems approach.

Steve Jones from the d&b UK office and John Taylor from their Education and Application Support team will present the day. The programme will mix theory and practice; an introduction to the positioning of the T-Series within the d&b audiotechnik product range, design criteria, and an overview of the ArrayCalc software and d&b's Remote control network.

This will be followed by a chance to listen to various configurations of the T-Series loudspeakers including the new B4-SUB cardioid subwoofer. There will also be comparisons with products from the E & Q-Series and there will be some time to listen to

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Germany - At ProLight&Sound last week, d&b audiotechnik featured a spread of products with the new E6 taking pride of place. The E6 loudspeaker is destined to replace the d&b E3.

The E6 is a high performance multipurpose cabinet employing an integrated 6.5"/1" exit coaxial driver design with neodymium magnet and constant directivity horn loading. The horn with its 100° x 55° (h x v) dispersion pattern can easily be rotated through 90°, providing a 55° x 100° pattern, without the use of tools. It is a two-way design with a built-in passive crossover network and its frequency response extends from 85 Hz to above 18 kHz.

The cabinet shape allows use either in a vertical or horizontal orientation as well as deployment as a discreet stage monitor. Weighing in at only 5 kg and with smaller dimensions than the E3 it produces a maximum SPL of 123 dB when

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Germany - Following the successful launch of its active K Series at last year's ProLight&Sound in Frankfurt, 12 months later, QSC has gone a step further with the introduction of the KW Series. Building on the same platform as the ABS-moulded K Series (which it is designed to complement), the KW Series has been engineered to produce the same performance - but this time in a second generation wooden enclosure. Manufactured in QSC's Costa Mesa, California factory, the form factor is consequently more compact and substantially lighter than previous birch enclosure designs.

Packaged into the new, second generation Baltic birch design will be the same 1000W of Class D power modules (2 x 500W), 1.75-inch high output HF device (in the full-range models) and extensive DSP featured in the K Series, along with all QSC's patented technologies designed to fully-optimise the system.

The KW

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France - L-Acoustics reports that it has joined the Crestron Integrated Partner Programme (I2P). The result of this collaboration will be the development of a Crestron Integrated Partners control module which allows the LA Amplified Controllers LA4 / LA8 to be controlled and monitored in an open-platform Crestron system environment.

L-Acoustics' head of fixed installation technical support, Cedric Montrezor, says, "The seamless integration of our platform into any Crestron-based system is an important move forward in our strategy to develop complete and integrated solutions for the permanent installation market. We are delighted to join one of the leaders in control hardware and touch panel manufacturing, and will soon be able to offer system designers and consultants solutions for our amplified controller platform to effectively communicate with other equipment within this

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UK - Optocore's newly developed compact fibre line system, OptoRack, will debut on the Leona Lewis world tour, beginning in May, after a joint development with Wigwam's rental division to produce a new data returns system.

The newly developed system provides a flexible solution to the restrictions which many hire/production companies are finding with Cat 5 cable systems.

According to Wigwam Hire director Chris Hill, using complicated extender units to cover distances over 100m is totally impractical and requires their field engineers to become IT network specialists. At the same time he criticised the inadequacies of RJ 45 fixed connectors when exposed to both festival and touring conditions as well as the extended prep time now required with so many digital manufacturers supporting their own proprietary platforms and connector protocols.

Using Optocore's new modular R serve

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USA - Backline rental and entertainment services operator SIR (Studio Equipment Rentals) recently added an Electro-Voice XLD line array loudspeaker system to the pro audio inventory at their New York office.

The system comprises 16 XLD281 full-range elements and four Xsubs, all powered by six Tour Grade TG7 amplifiers equipped with RCM-26 DSP modules for IRIS-Net remote control and supervision.

"Our XLD system will typically be used to address one to two thousand people in rooms of various shapes and sizes," says Baker Lee, audio production manager at SIR New York, "so flexibility was a main consideration, along with size and sound quality. We invested in a range of accessories - dollies, fly bars, ground-stack kits, etc. - so we can fly, stack or lift the arrays securely, whatever the venue, and achieve consistently excellent results."

SIR's new system m

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Denmark - Eighteen months ago, DPA Microphones unveiled its 4099 clip mic range, which has proved to be a success with musicians worldwide. The range has now been expanded with two new additions: the 4099B and 4099C, with mounting accessories designed specifically for bass and cello respectively.

Since the launch of the first four models, DPA has carried out intensive experiments with other instruments. One of the areas where superior sound quality and high rejection are an issue is acoustic bass, so a new holder has been designed for that instrument. Bass players such as Rufus Reid, Chris Minh Doky and John Patitucci were already 4099 users before the launch of the new bass clip. Minh Doky was so confident he'd found the ultimate mic he took a deep breath and drilled a hole into the bridge, creating a permanent mounting solution. With the new bass clip, such drastic measures ar

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USA - Technomad Associates reports that Simi Valley Hospital, one of 17 hospitals operated by Adventist Health in the western United States, is using two Technomad Schedulon automatic MP3 players for scheduled and on-demand playback of audio files in multiple locations of the hospital.

Located in Simi Valley, California, Simi Valley Hospital is a 201-bed acute care facility. The Schedulon provides dual-functionality for the hospital, essentially acting as two devices in a single 1RU system: a sophisticated, networked, scheduled-audio player that plays sounds on a user-defined schedule; and a simple, on-demand audio file player that acts as a rugged, rackmount iPod with sounds 'hard-assigned' to knob positions for quick-predictable access.

At Simi Valley Hospital, both units are used to deliver music and announcements to various locations at specific times, including the main e

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Germany - A high power, weatherised and digitally networked Renkus-Heinz PA system has been installed for west German football club Alemannia Aachen at its New Tivoli stadium in Aachen.

The stadium's architects were tasked with retaining the ambience of the club's old ground, especially its reputation for crowd noise. The tall, steep stands are close to the pitch, and the low suspended steel roof with a 3m glass lip was also designed to boost noise levels. Bundesliga regulations permit both seated and standing spectators, with 11,681 of the 32,900 total capacity standing on terraces 80 rows high behind each goal.

Stephan van der Kooi, project manager for stadium owner and operator Alemannia, comments, "The old Tivoli was a very English kind of soccer stadium, and it was known for the loudness of its crowd, and we wanted to retain that feeling."

System IT and commun

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Frankfurt Postscript - Organisers of Musikmesse and ProLight&Sound 2010 report satisfactory attendance figures. "With around 2,340 exhibitors, 62 percent of them from outside Germany, and almost 110,000 visitors from 128 countries, Musikmesse and ProLight&Sound exceeded our expectations," said Detlef Braun, Member of the Board of Management of Messe Frankfurt. "Moreover", he added, "the number of exhibitors and visitors remained stable in comparison to last year despite some dramatic drops in sales of up to 30 percent in both sectors over the last 18 months." Overall, the impact of the difficult economic situation in the two sectors was limited to minor declines in the number of exhibitors and visitors compared to 2009 (2,388 exhibitors, 112.478 visitors).

In line with the difficult economic situation prevailing in both sectors, which has hit the ex

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UK - Point Source Productions supplied lighting, smoke and haze effects, cabling and power distribution to La Clique at the Roundhouse during its successful 10 week run over Christmas 2009 and New Year 2010.

Dubbed by The Sunday Times as 'the best selling show of all time' for pre-bookings at Camden's Roundhouse, La Clique's style is a mixture of outlandish variety, burlesque and circus entertainment which has been described in reviews as both 'a walk on the wild side' and 'a divinely decadent delight.'

Point Source Productions was called upon by Dan Watkins of The Production Desk and freelance Production Electrician, Jono Kenyon to provide additional equipment which would facilitate the very specific look of Willie Suddon's lighting design.

Kenyon and Watkins had collaborated on La Clique's 2008 production at the Hippodrome from where, despite its succe

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UK - Perched high on the cliffs overlooking one of the UK's best known seaside resorts, Southend's Cliffs Pavilion Theatre has been kitted out with new Electro-Voice sound reinforcement systems by TED AV, commissioned by venue owner and operator HQ Theatres.

Its sister venue in Southend, the smaller Palace Theatre, went all EV a couple of years ago, and with close collaboration and resource-sharing between the two houses, there were considerable advantages in staying with the brand and with supplier Shuttlesound.

The Cliffs Pavilion is a receiving house, seating over 1,600 for a theatrical production, but with flexible set-up arrangements enabling 2,500 to be accommodated for live gigs. As one of the premier division of regional theatre venues, Cliffs Pavilion has to balance the needs of touring bands bringing in their own systems with the needs of visiting theatre productions

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Austria - Danish opera singer Rick Heis has recorded an SACD, Caught In Paradise, using DPA microphones. The session, at the Jugendstiltheater in Heis's adopted home of Vienna, saw six DPA 4011 cardioid mics being used for stereo recordings. Two were used for Heis' vocals, two for his guitar amp and two for bass player Georg Straka, a member of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. In addition, a pair of DPA 4006 omnidirectional mics were used for a stereo recording of pianist Michael Rot's Steinway model B.

After many years of singing and playing guitar, Heis made the discovery that he was a baritone, not a tenor as a music teacher had told him. This discovery revitalized his musical career and Caught In Paradise, which so far has been released in Austria on the local label Gerimi Classics, has come from this renaissance.

"I've been using DPA microphones for y

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USA - A new audio system at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Bend, Oregon, features JBL Professional PD Series loudspeakers. Morgan Sound of Lynwood, Washington was responsible for the acoustic consulting and design and, using its past experience with the PD Series as the deciding factor in the choice of speakers, teamed with Anderson Group International of Eugene, Oregon for the installation.

The installation at the St. Francis of Assisi Church initially presented many challenges to the team. It's a very large space with polished concrete floors, CMU walls and granite and marble covering the substantial altar platform, all of which work together to create a very reverberant room. There was a desire to maximize the presentation of sound without filling the entire auditorium with large, overbearing speakers, which is why Morgan Sound president Charlie Morgan ultimately chose the J

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USA - Saginaw Church of Christ has brought Community Professional Loudspeakers' Veris system into the fold. As part of a long-awaited audio upgrade, the church has installed a system comprising two Veris 3294W 12-inch three-way loudspeakers. A pair of Veris 28W dual 8-inch systems provide side-fill.

Dan Ristow of Fort Worth-base Heavenly Sound and Video comments, "Saginaw Church of Christ is a vocal-only church, so warmth and articulation in spoken word was a fundamental objective in designing their system. "We've worked with the Veris system in the past, and were particularly impressed with its performance on spoken word. The difference was clear, even in a side-by-side comparison with another more expensive loudspeaker."

The sanctuary's architecture presented some acoustical challenges as well. "The room has a high ceiling, with a rear entrance wall const

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Germany - At its ever-expanding annual distributor dinner in Frankfurt, which coincides with the ProLight+Sound Expo, Nexo celebrated the emerging markets around the world.

The Awards are marked not by a gold statuette but, this year, by a miniature RS18 subbass unit. They are assigned by sales director Denis Baudier for outstanding progress and success in developing a market for Nexo technology, and in 2009/2010, there were some surprises in store.

Winner of the Nexo Distributor of the Year Award was Sonotec from Peru. This young company from Lima, just 10 years old, has amassed an impressive blue-chip distribution portfolio and is also achieving great success as a rental service company. Jesus Aguilar from Sonotec was pleased to collect his award in front of the whole Nexo international distribution network.

The award for Best New Distributor went to Malaysia's Audio Solut

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Germany - At ProLight&Sound 2010 sound Projects presented its latest addition to the DreamLine series: the BassLine, a self-powered mid/bass system for the touring and installation markets. The BassLine is tuned to augment the DreamLine in the low end and has the same distinguished appearance.

The BassLine's housing is identical to the DreamLine - a 2.2m high line-array cabinet. The proprietary Angle Adapter rigging hardware is also the same. This gives the BassLine the same convenient rigging benefits as the DreamLine; single point suspension at almost any theatre batten lift and easy horizontal aiming in steps of 10 degrees of the complete array.

The BassLine is suitable for large auditoria, medium sized concerts-halls and dance events. Flying one or two BassLines next to a DreamLine system instead of flying a sub system above the line-array, results in far less reflection a

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