USA / Europe - Monitor engineer Ramon Morales is currently on tour with Lady Gaga. The production is all in-ears, including all the musicians, the dancers and the audio crew. "I've been a huge fan of Sensaphonics several years now," he states. "In fact, I basically insist on wearing the 2MAX when I mix. I've tried pretty much everything out there, and there's really nothing that can match it for sound quality and comfort. On Lady Gaga, the whole band is on Sensaphonics, and most of the techs are wearing them, and others are on the 3MAX as well. Everyone is really happy with them."

In terms of hearing protection, Morales sees a major advantage to Sensaphonics soft-gel silicone construction. "It's not just a comfort thing, although that's part of it," he says. "The silicone gives better isolation than anything else, which keeps everything you don

USA - American Pop-Rockers Passion Pit have been touring extensively since 2008's debut EP Chunk of Change propelled them firmly in to the limelight. They've since been riding high with 2009's follow up album Manners.

2010 has seen no let-up for the Massachusetts-based five-piece; this past Autumn they supported Muse for a string of North American dates. Tour manager Andrew Dobbins and monitor engineer Francois Pare - both a part of London-based live music production house Cato Music - spec'd the equipment for the tour, including Shure PSM900 in-ear monitors.

"Before the tour we were looking to try something new - mainly because we weren't very happy with the system we were using at the time. We were getting a lot of interference and the sound quality wasn't great. I'd heard about this new Shure system so I thought I'd try them on a tour that started back in

UK - Sir Cliff Richard celebrated his 70th birthday in October with a week of concerts at the Royal Albert Hall, complete with a swing band and Midas PRO6s for front of house and monitors.

As the shows were more complex than Sir Cliff's usual live appearances, both PRO6s were full to capacity. Engineers Mike 'Bunny' Warren (FOH) and John 'JJ' James (monitors), who have worked with Richard for 12 and 30 years respectively, were new to the PRO6, and both were unanimous in their praise for the system.

Bunny felt the PRO6 had been a boon for the notoriously difficult acoustics of the Albert Hall. "It's definitely helped in this environment," he says. "The EQ just does what you want it to do, and I've been able to add definition between different instruments, which has been especially useful as 24 of my 56 inputs are brass. To get a difference between each of the sax

Russia - Tannoy's QFlex digitally steerable column array loudspeakers have been installed in one of Russia's most recent new-build churches - in the village of Usovo, on the western outskirts of Moscow.

Named Temple Spasa Nerukotvornogo Obraza, loosely translated as the Parish Church of the Saviour 'Not Made by Hands', the grand and imposing new complex was designed by the architect Vyacheslav Izhikov, and completed in record time last year - with the inaugural service taking place on 29 August.

The construction project was initiated by the local community and funded by Rosneft, one of Russia's largest oil and gas companies, with support from the Russian government and the formal opening ceremony was attended by Russian Prime Minister, and former President, Vladimir Putin.

Tannoy's distribution partner in Russia, I.S.P.A Engineering, was brought to the project by main AV con

Singapore - An Aviom Pro16Personal Mixing System (WFX Booth 1220) was recently installed at Aldersgate Methodist Church in Queenstown, Singapore. The church called on CODA Audio Services, an audio design and system provider based in Singapore, for a structured cabling and equipment upgrade.

One of the biggest challenges the church faced prior to the equipment upgrade was the building's hexagon shape, with the pulpit centred on one of the six sides. The live band is located directly to the right of the pulpit and the choir is positioned on the left. The separation of the choir and the band, along with the uncommon shape of the worship hall, added to the unfavourable nuances of the audio system.

With this type of design, speech intelligibility was a prime consideration for selecting the new audio equipment. The church wanted parishioners to be able to hear the services clearly,

China - The new Opera House in Guangzhou installed a comprehensive intercom system from Riedel Communications. Riedel delivered a digital intercom solution combining a Performer digital partyline system and an Acrobat wireless intercom installation. Responsible for the installation was Leifull Light & Sound.

The Guangzhou Opera House is one the three largest theaters in Asia. To provide the most comprehensive communications infrastructure for the control room, director and technicians, the opera house installed a combination of wired Riedel Performer partyline and wireless Riedel Acrobat intercom technology.

At the heart of the installation are two Performer C44 system interfaces. Performer's digital signal chain provides high quality digital audio. A total of 12 Performer C3 beltpacks are installed at the opera house. They are complemented by eight Performer CD-2 desktop cont

UK - The Roland Systems Group has started shipping its new S-MADI REAC Bridge in the UK; the initial consignment has already sold out and new supplies are being flown in. Among the first customers are Wigwam Acoustics, SFL Group, Hawthorns Theatrical and Visual Impact, buying the units for installation respectively in a church, a recording studio, a large educational project and on behalf of a leading broadcaster.

RSG's new S-MADI REAC Bridge was launched this summer. "We are seeing remarkable demand for the ability to cross-talk between devices in all sectors of the market, from recording to live production," says RSG product manager Simon Kenning. "Extending its compatibility within professional audio circles presents great opportunities for Roland."

The design of the S-MADI REAC Bridge was inspired by high levels of interest in the M-48 personal mixer sy

USA - Solid State Logic is showing a radical update to the successful AWS 900 console at AES in San Francisco. Launched in 2004, the AWS combines SSL analogue console technology with DAW control hardware in a single work surface. Over 550 consoles later the AWS has evolved through several significant upgrades.Maintaining the same 24 fader footprint, the new AWS is now available in 24 Input (AWS 924) and 48 Input (AWS 948) variants and introduces significant new features including Dual Path Channels with stereo EQ & Insert, 8 fader bay Digital Scribble Strips and 'A-FADA' (Analogue Fader Accesses DAW Automation) automation where motorized analogue faders follow DAW automation data.The increase from 24 to 48 inputs on the AWS 948 is achieved via the introduction of a Dual Path Channel Strip design where each channel has a single mic pre and two line level inputs, a new Stereo EQ and

USA - TC Electronic is introducing its LM2 stereo loudness and true-peak level meter to the US market by debuting the advanced technology at this year's AES 2010. The LM2 meter enables "unprecedented levels of loudness precision and quality in audio applications, eliminating level jumps and other aural inconsistencies for truly polished sound". With this new product, TC Electronic is taking an important leadership role in the worldwide concern for loudness standardization, says the company.

The new LM2 is one of the first products that complies with the European R128 loudness standard, as well as US standards. The meter analyzes any audio, be it speech, music or other sources, assigning it an ATSC A/85- or EBU R128-compliant loudness number. Numbers may be used to normalise programmes, commercials and music tracks, and to set metadata in AC3 transmission.

This elimin

Australia - Darwin's Marrara Sporting Complex and TIO Stadium is the premier outdoor stadium in the Northern Territory and it regularly hosts such sporting events as Australian football and cricket. Every two years it also hosts the Arafura Games, where more than 4,500 competitors from over 40 nations compete in 19 disciplines. In addition to several of the events, the stadium is used for the opening and closing ceremonies.

In late 2009 an upgrade of the audio system was approved and local consultants GHD were appointed to prepare the specification. With the heat, rain and humidity of Darwin's tropical environment, careful consideration was given to the type of loudspeakers to be used in the installation and Community R and WET Series were selected.

National contracting company Eo Design was awarded the project and went on site in early June 2010 with a completion date of end

UK - Roland Systems Group has announced new version software for its range of compact digital audio consoles, expanding functionality and increasing the scope of interconnectivity with devices using V-Link, Roland's proprietary technology which provides control of video equipment via audio gear.

One of the most important features of the new version software is the extra provisions made for integration of the console with Roland's M-48 Personal Mixing System.

An engineer's monitor function has been added to the M-48 Manager software on the M-300, M-380 and M-400 digital consoles, enabling him or her to designate an M-48 unit from which the engineer can monitor and control the balance of each musician's M-48 monitor mix. The musician's group mix can also be controlled from the engineer's own M-48. A MIX Option has been added, ensuring that only sources assigned to a group will b

UK - Golf's Ryder Cup paid its first visit to Wales this year, the tournament taking place in early October at the Celtic Manor Resort, near Newport. Beforehand, Cardiff's Millennium Stadium hosted Welcome To Wales, a glittering VIP dinner and live concert which showcased the country's musical talent to the sporting visitors. Three DiGiCo D5 consoles ensured that the Welsh voices came through loud and clear.

The sound reinforcement demands of the event were complex, the Millennium Stadium being divided into two for the dinner and concert elements. Audio company Capital Sound was required to treat both the dinner and concert as separate entities which were effectively competing against one another. Walk-in music was provided to mask the sounds of the dinner from the public filing into the concert seats but, at the same time, a performance by male choir Only Men Aloud in th

UK - Kent-based PA company, SRD Group, was appointed to provide a sound reinforcement system for a large scale 16,000 capacity outdoor classical music event at Leeds Castle, selecting a range of units from its stock of Allen & Heath iLive digital hardware and using the latest 'DualRack' capability.

The varied programme included opera, musical theatre, military band, traditional choral, and a headline performance by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by John Rigby and accompanied by soloists Wynne Evans (tenor), Elizabeth Watts (soprano) and Richard Morrison (baritone). The evening was also narrated by actor Robert Powell, featured the marching band of the Brigade of Gurkhas, and included a fireworks and cannons finale.

"With crowd coverage extending 365m deep x 100m wide, and due to the predominantly orchestral material, audio requirements reached 180 inputs. To c

USA - New York City's landmark Brill Building, KMA Music continues to book a range of VIP artists to record chart-topping hits, with the help of AKG microphones. From vocals to instrumentation, AKG has been a go-to microphone in KMA's Studios A and B for numerous performers since opening its doors in 2007.

Utilising AKG's C 12 VR Tube microphone and a set of C 414's, Studio Manager Dave 'Roz' Rosner offers his clients, including Jordan Sparks, Jay Sean, Jay-Z, Neil Diamond, Paul Simon, Lil Wayne, Beyonce and many others, a selection of the most widely requested microphones in the industry at a moment's notice

"Each artist has their own personal taste, but a large portion of our clientele are very loyal and will request the C 12 for their sessions," he said. "The C 12 is a great microphone and really gives a 'whomp' to any artists' vocals." The C 12 is also

USA - Located in Fayetteville, Georgia, about 20 miles south of Atlanta, Suburban Legend Audio has made a name for itself by specialising in audio for live theatre production. "We were formed about six years ago, initially doing all recording work," states owner Jonathan Wade. "But I've always been involved in live theatre, and that has become a very successful niche for us as well."

Recently, demand for Suburban Legend's production expertise expanded to the point where the company had clearly outgrown its Allen & Heath GL3300 analogue console. "In shopping around for a larger board, I knew that going digital would provide a lot of advantages, both in terms of operational flexibility and being more portable and self-contained," states Wade. "The expanded audio capabilities, sound quality, and lower cost made the iLive-T Series an obvious choice

Canada - The recent Canadian Country Music Association awards show featured an Electro-Voice sound reinforcement system, designed and provided by the Winnipeg office Sound Art.

"We've been an EV house for a long time," says Sound Art technical projects manager Iain Graham. "Their gear is very reliable, and EV is consistently evolving their processing, so their speaker systems keep sounding better and better." Graham designed the system in Electro-Voice's Line Array Prediction Software (LAPS) and directed on-site setup.

FOH mixing was handled by Toronto-based freelancer Peter Stoynich, while the mix on the EV Xw12 stage monitors was handled by Gerald Sawchuk, also of Sound Art Winnipeg, with Chase Tower and Dave Coe from Sound Art Calgary on RF and patch, respectively. Mike Noga, an independent technician from Edmonton was the fifth member of the Sound Art c

UK - Yamaha's M7CL and LS9 digital mixing consoles continue to make inroads in the education market. The latest establishment to invest in Yamaha is Aberystwyth University, which recently took delivery of two new systems.

Supplied by SSE Audio Group, the new equipment comprises an M7CL-48ES and LS9-32 digital mixing consoles, MY16-ES64 Ethersound interface cards for the latter, three SB168-ES stage boxes and two Nexo PA systems.

"When I moved here just over a year ago, it was obvious that the equipment needed updating," says the university's technical manager David Mitchell. "Having never worked in education before, it surprised me that the technical theatre students were still using rather dated methods to run live shows."

He continues, "I knew that this was going to be a one-off opportunity to get the university to buy a system that would bring the

UK - Entec Sound & Light supplied sound and lighting equipment and crew for Steve Miller's recent UK and European tour, showcasing his latest Bingo album.

Entec won the contract after being recommended to production manager Brett Enzensperger by Milwaukee based Clearwing Productions, the company that supplies technical production for all Steve Miller's US based live work, and with whom Entec also has a close association.

They wanted an operation that could deliver a competitive all-in production package for sound and lighting. Says Enzensperger, "I asked Clearwing's Gregg Brunclik who I should use for production in Europe, and Entec was the clear choice. Gregg knows the standards I expect from a rental company, so I knew that Entec would fit the bill - and also that account manager Noreen O'Riordan would put up with me."

Steve Miller's show was designed by N

USA - Royer Labs has reached a new distribution agreement with the German company S.E.A. Vertrieb & Consulting covering Germany, Switzerland, and Austria.

Headquartered in Emsbüren, Germany, S.E.A. Vertrieb & Consulting carries a wide range of products for today's audio professional, including microphones, signal processors, mixing consoles, digital audio networking equipment, and sound reinforcement systems.

"We are very pleased to be representing Royer Labs," says managing director Uwe Kirchfeld. "Royer is one of the world's premium microphone companies and is a perfect fit with our existing line card. The microphone is one of the most important components in terms of ensuring a quality recording or true to the source sound acquisition for live sound reinforcement purposes and Royer Labs is a first-tier choice among today's discriminating audio pros.

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USA StagePro (Ottawa, Kansas) provided the live sound reinforcement system for the LDI Awards Ceremony, held at the recent LDI trade show in Las Vegas. The Awards recognised excellence in a variety of categories related to the live design, events and staging industry, including lighting, audio and video. The audio system featured a comprehensive range of products from Harman Professional, highlighted by JBL's subcompact Vertec line arrays.

For the event, StagePro supplied the audio reinforcement system as part of its Apex Mobile Stage. The main PA system included left/right hangs of four Vertec VT4886 subcompact line array loudspeakers and two VT4883 subcompact arrayable subwoofers per side, supplemented by an additional four VT4886 loudspeakers placed along the centre edge of the stage for front-fill.

"The response to the awards ceremony was very positive and the audio s

Germany - The Journey Home World Tour 2010 celebrates A.R. Rahman's prolific career, including songs from Slumdog Millionaire as well as landmark Indian films Lagaan, Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na, Dil Se, Rang De Basanti and Roja.

Monitor engineer Doug Kimball (Rob Thomas, Christina Aguilera, Goo Goo Dolls) insisted that the tour switch over to a complete Sennheiser package to accommodate the 12 wireless vocals, four wireless instrument packs, 38 wireless personal monitors, plus a plethora of conventional and unconventional instruments.

"In my opinion, there are a lot of mic manufacturers that make products that will do a passable job for a straight-up rock show involving musicians without nuanced technique," says Kimball. "But Rahman's show is much more than a straight-up rock show, and both he and the people he performs

USA - Ross Ashton of UK-based The Projection Studio was commissioned by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust to be the main artist for the 2010 Pittsburgh Festival of Lights, for which he produced four projection works.

It's Ashton's first major work in the US and follows his installations at last year's event for curators Marguerite Jarrett-Marks and Christopher Oberdorf and another that he produced for New Year's Eve 2009/2010. The challenge was on to produce something that was completely different from anything in the past and that would engage the public as well as bring critical acclaim to the festival.

The Festival of Light was concentrated in The Cultural Quarter of the city, and the art works had to utilise existing architecture and spaces, which for projection purposes, were primarily confined to a series of flat walled buildings.

Says Ashton, "It was a great p

India - With a 60,000-plus seating capacity, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi is the biggest venue used for the October, 2010 XIX Commonwealth Games. The stadium hosted athletics events and, most importantly, served as the venue for the Games' opening and closing ceremonies. The stadium is equipped with an audio system from Electro-Voice

The EV loudspeaker spec at Nehru Stadium comprises 132 customized XLC127DVX (line-array), 120 Sx300PI, 300 EVID 6.2, and 60 ZX5-60PI surface-mounted systems, all driven by a combination of 135 P3000RL and TG amplifiers to deliver an average of 107 dB and a peak of 115 dB. The entire system is remote-controlled and supervised from a single laptop in the stadium control room, all via EV's IRIS-Net software platform. The system's Auto Gain Control increases or decreases the sound levels consistent with changes in the level of ambient crowd noi

Ireland - The Convention Centre Dublin (CCD), which opened in September, features a technical specification including four DiGiCo SD series mixing consoles.

Costing €380m, The CCD is Ireland's first purpose-built convention centre. It features 22 multi-functional spaces and can host up to 8,000 people at a time.

The three biggest single spaces are the 2000-seat Auditorium, a theatre which encompasses the top three floors of the building; The Forum, a 2721sq.m exhibition hall which can house over 3000 delegates for a conference or up to 2000 for a banquet and The Liffey, a 1650sq.m space which can hold 1800 conference delegates or 1200 banqueting guests. The latter can be divided into two separate rooms by the lowering of a soundproof wall from the ceiling.

The technical specification was agreed between developers The Convention Centre Dublin and consultant Theatre Projects,

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