UK - If there is a single festival that defines the English summer, it has to be Henley, which this year celebrated its 40th anniversary with a mix of music, comedy, art and grade A fun.
Production managed by John Harris, Henley’s main stage is placed in the River Thames, backed by a fleet of boats of all shapes and sizes. The site features a variety of other venues ranging from intimate comedy to cabaret and dance bands.
RG Jones has been providing audio at Henley since 1983 - most of it based around Martin Audio PA - and in a relationship surviving that long, the level of trust and commitment is obviously at its highest. Over the years, the style of the event has changed somewhat from the original, fully classical programme to what is now a much more commercial line-up, but with no less determination to deliver an unforgettable experience.
This year’s arti

The Netherlands - RME and DirectOut have introduced Digiface Ravenna. The mobile audio interface is based on the proven Digiface Dante and features a Ravenna module developed by DirectOut. The device allows the transmission of a total of 128 audio channels coming from Ravenna and optionally MADI via a single USB 3.0 connection. RME thus expands its Digiface series with a powerful Ravenna model for USB and standalone operation.
"We have known and admired RME for many years as a provider of professional computer interface technology and are very happy about this cooperation.” says Claudio Becker-Foss, CEO/CTO of DirectOut. “The combination of RME’s experience in programming computer interfaces with DirectOut’s Ravenna expertise will create a great new asset for the Audio-over-IP market. Both companies are committed to leading edge development and maintaining their prod

France - A tailor-made sound system was developed and installed by Amadeus within the Théâtre de l'Archevêché at Aix-en-Provence International Music Festival to subtly modify the acoustic characteristics of the theatre space using 35 microphones processed through Holophonix and more than 50 speakers to play the innovative mix of a live orchestra, choir, and stage performers for a performance of Mozart’s Idomeneo.
Musical director and conductor of the Pygmalion Orchestra and Choir, Raphaël Pichon, made a special request to Amadeus to design and implement an audio technology system combining active acoustics and sound spatialization to maximize the audience’s experience of the opera.
“The work carried out in collaboration with Amadeus’ teams could be compared with some kind of ‘sound restoration’. The Théâtre de l'Archevêché is a unique place

Europe - Shure is teaming up with Netgear to deliver faster and more reliable integration when installing Shure Microflex Ecosystem products with the Netgear AV Line M4250 switches. The combination of Shure’s legacy in AV, along with Netgear’s commitment to AV over IP will help integrators with limited networking skills save time configuring rooms.
Built from the ground up for 1G AV over IP, the Netgear AV Line M4250 switches combine years of networking experience with best practices from leading AV professionals to simplify and elevate the installation process. A new AV-centric browser-based user interface enables key AV network settings, selectable profiles for popular AV devices, and a sleek front panel with various mounting options. Now, M4250 switches come pre-installed with two Shure profiles to optimise switch settings and customise VLANs for control and audio whe

UK - PLASA Show, London’s international event for entertainment technology, will once again open its doors at Olympia London from 4-6 September. Thousands of professionals from across the live sector are expected to attend the show, coming together to celebrate the industry’s strength and innovation following the pandemic. Tickets are still available for £15, which will increase to £20 on the door.
200+ global brands will sit side by side in Olympia’s Grand Hall, representing the very best of pro audio, lighting, audio-visual, rigging and staging technologies. These include the show’s headline sponsor Robe, as well as fellow lighting brands Chauvet Professional, Claypaky, Ayrton, Avolites, ETC, Elation, GLP, Vari-Lite, Martin, TMB, plus many more. The pro audio sector is well covered, with brands such as d&b audiotechnik, Sennheiser, Yamaha, DiGiCo, Shure, RCF

The Netherlands - Pliant Technologies debuts its CCU-08 CrewCom Control Unit at IBC 2022 (Stand 10.C53). The CCU-08 is the latest addition to the CrewCom system and gives users the ability to use up to eight 4-Wire ports while retaining all the same features of the current companion CCU-22 and CCU-44 products.
Like the current Control Units, the CCU-08 Control Unit contains no radio and is frequency agnostic and can therefore control and monitor any device across CrewNet regardless of radio frequency bands being utilized. With the combination of CrewCom Radio Transceivers, the new CCU-08 supports up to 82 Radio Packs, 18 in Normal mode and 64 in the recently released High Density mode, across all RF bands.
“The CCU-08 is an important addition to the CrewCom lineup,” says Gary Rosen, vice president of global sales for Pliant Technologies. “The CCU-08 adds the abil

UK - Le Mark Group will be exhibiting its extensive product range at this year’s PLASA show. Two new Dirty Rigger products will take centre stage; the V3 edition of the heavy-duty backpack and four-way stretch ladies’ work trousers will both be showcased on Stand E20.
Additionally, Paper-Tak– a paper-based alternative to generic PVC tape will make its debut. Visitors will also be able to see a selection of Le Mark’s best-selling tapes, labels, flooring and crew wear, with a knowledgeable team on hand to answer any queries.
Speaking ahead of the show, Stuart Gibbons OBE, managing director, Le Mark Group said: “We’re delighted to be returning to the show again this year and we’re really excited to see what people think of the new products we will have on the stand. The Dirty Rigger backpack has been built around industry feedback. It’s comfortable to wear

UK - Production Futures exists to create opportunities for young people to learn, train, network and develop real careers in production across every area of the live event, music, touring, theatre, TV, broadcast and film industries.
As part of the promotion for its forthcoming Production Futures On Tour autumn events, the organisation will host a seminar at this year’s PLASA Show on the subject of Creating an Inclusive Workforce - How Can the Industry Attract Young Talent?.
Chaired by CEO Hannah Eakins, the panel, which includes Jas Parekh (Production Futures), Koy Neminathan (Sales Director at Avolites), Amy Kerr (field sales support manager at Robe) and Ollie Jeffrey (head of production and technical at Royal Albert Hall), will discuss solutions to the skills shortage in the live sector.
Hannah Eakins explains: “Since the pandemic, live events

Indonesia - Located on the perimeter of the Podomoro Golf Complex in a leafy suburb of Jakarta, At-Thohir Mosque was built by the extended family of automotive magnate, the late Teddy Thohir. The pearlescent house of worship features 29 domes meant to signify family. The building, which can welcome up to 1,900 worshippers, is a gift from a government minister, one of Mr. Thohir’s sons, to the local community and was inaugurated this spring by Indonesia’s president.
Wishing to maintain the grandeur of the building - its clean white interior, adorned with gold calligraphy representing the 99 meanings of Allah - the mosque’s technical committee required a powerful and pristine sound system that would discreetly fit into the building’s aesthetic. With recent government guidelines putting a cap on sound volumes at 100 decibels and limiting amplified audio to inside build

USA - EAW has announced that Steve Badham will be returning to the company covering technical sales throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Badham has a long history in the professional audio industry and in particular with EAW.
“We are excited to welcome Steve back to the EAW family,” says TJ Smith, president, Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW). “Steve’s experience, product knowledge and technical savvy make him a great addition back to our team. With Steve’s contributions and hard work, we look forward to continuing to grow the EAW brand in the EMEA territories.”
Badham’s association with EAW began about two decades ago where he held the position of European technical sales engineer. During his time at EAW, Badham spearheaded several high-profile projects in the region including the Barcelona Football Club’s Camp Nou Stadium and EAW's first UK multip

USA - Fulcrum Acoustic has announced the introduction of two new additions to the company’s CCX range of compact coaxial passive cardioid loudspeakers: the 8in CCX8 series and the 15in CCX15 series.
The CCX 8in coaxial system is offered in two horn patterns: CCX896 (90° x 60°) and CCX826 (120° x 60°).
Like the CCX 12in models, the CCX15 15in coaxial system is offered in a full range of five patterns: CCX1595 (90° x 45°), CCX1565 (60° x 45°), CCX1577 (75° x 75°), CCX1500 (100° x 100°), and CCX1526 (120° x 60°).suited to high-fidelity, foreground distributed systems, as well as for systems requiring targeted pattern control. Their trapezoidal shaped enclosures allow for mounting very close to ceilings with minimal effect on sight lines, which facilitates acceptance by interior designers and architects.
They are suitable for houses of worship, theatr

Estonia – A host of Green-GO’s digital intercom products have been installed at Tallinn City Theatre’s temporary home at the nearby Salme Kultuurikeskus (Salme Cultural Centre) while the main theatre is renovated.
The relocation gave Green-GO distributor and Tallinn-based theatre smart control experts Focuspoint OÜ the opportunity to specify Green-GO solutions to the theatre, which is looking to the future with the rebuild and technical upgrade.
The existing communications system at the Salme Kultuurikeskus (Salme Cultural Centre) was, according to Focuspoint, extremely old, consisting of a one-way announcing mic at the stage manager’s desk and 100V loudspeakers positioned in four wardrobes.
“The team at City Theatre were looking to upgrade their communications system to a full digital, flexible system almost as a try out while they operate in their te

UK - Prolight Concepts Group has announced that it has completed the acquisition of Flightcase Juice. The addition of this brand ‘enhances the current umbrella of brands, and enables Prolight to continue to stock, supply and develop this popular consumable’.
This label cleaner and permanent market remover is developed and manufactured in the UK and is currently available in 0.75 litre spray bottle. A 5-litre version is also available which is suitable for refills or larger usage requirements. Mini sample bottles of Flightcase Juice will be given away at the upcoming PLASA Show in London.
Managing director Andrew Jeffrey comments, “I am pleased to welcome Flightcase Juice in our group. We will be looking at further expanding the range with the same dedication and passion that we have applied to our other brands over the years.”

UK - A new pro audio distributor, AUX Import, has officially launched, offering brands such as CatCore, UNiKA and NEXT Audiocom.
Following a career in pro audio, founder and sales director, Mike Newman explains his drive to start the company.
“Having worked over 20 years in live events I felt that experience could lead me to better understand what installers, integrators and rental companies were looking for; both in terms of products and service. Having worked around the world for audio manufacturers for many years I had become aware of several unrepresented brands who I felt could succeed in the UK market. AUX Import has been founded on a culmination of these two things, which is already proving to be a winning formula.”
AUX Import currently offers exclusive products from the German ‘XLR over Cat’ manufacturer CatCore as well as UNiKA Pro Audio, the man

USA - The Grammy Award-wining Tedeschi Trucks Band is known for its relentless touring, but plans for the group’s sixth Wheels of Soul Tour, originally slated for 2020, obviously had to put on the brakes for a couple of years. Now the band is finally back out doing what it does best, rolling through its North American tour accompanied by opening acts Los Lobos and Gabe Dixon as well as an L-Acoustics K2 loudspeaker system supplied by PRG.
The current tour leg comes on the heels of a three-week break from Wheel of Soul’s initial return to the road, which kicked off on June 24 in Jacksonville, Florida, hometown of vocalist/guitarist Susan Tedeschi and guitarist Derek Trucks, the band’s two married principals who front a 12-piece band often augmented by guest artists.
Recently picking back up at San Diego’s Cal Coast Credit Union Amphitheater on August 18, the Wes

China - Located in the Songjiang District of Shanghai, the Yun Hall Cultural Art Centre is a major community and economic project of the district party committee and district government. Its aim is to build a comprehensive, high-quality cultural landmark, providing one-stop public cultural services such as art exhibitions, cultural performances, group activities and reading for all.
A pair of a pair of DiGiCo Quantum 338 consoles form part of its high-end technical infrastructure, designed and installed by DiGiCo distributor, Rightway Audio Consultants (Racpro).
Designed by Xing Tonghe, chief architect at Shanghai Xian Dai Architecture, whose works encompasses an organic combination of the spirit of the times and national tradition, modern technology, and history and culture, the Yun Hall Culture and Art Centre communicates a strong sense of innovation and highlights t

UK - Highlite’s UK sales representative Dave Hartley will be enjoying his well-deserved retirement from 15 September. Jeff Davenport will follow in his footsteps and be the new contact for Highlite-related matters and products in the North of the UK region.
Jeff Davenport will be taking over the UK sales representative position at Highlite from Dave Hartley. Jeff will start on 1 September. During the overlap period, Dave will bring Jeff up to speed on the current state of affairs. Jeff will dive right in at the upcoming PLASA Show at the Olympia London (4-6 September), where he will join the team on stand (B23) to introduce himself to the market and clients.
Jeff is already familiar with the market, as he has previously worked for several businesses that are active in the industry. From his hometown of Burton upon Trent, he can be contacted at Jeff.Davenport@highlite

USA - Audinate has announced the immediate availability of Dante Domain Manager v1.4 with support for Dante-enabled video products such as PTZ cameras, HDMI encoders and decoders, and the Dante Studio suite of video tools.
With Dante Domain Manager, AV-over-IP systems get IT-level monitoring, security and control. Dante Domain Manager secures Dante networks by enforcing user authentication and roles to ensure that only trusted people can make changes to the system. It provides organizational tools that allow Dante devices to be split into functionally independent groups (domains) that correspond to rooms, spaces, buildings and more for easier routing and security.
Dante Domain Manager coordinates clocking across the entire network, enabling routing of audio and video across IP subnet boundaries for large systems that must span large buildings, multiple studios, or camp

UK - BishopSound, boutique manufacturer of point source and line array loudspeakers, has announced the availability of the company on the open market. The company founder, Andrew Bishop, is seeking to partner with investors to grow his infrastructure to a level that can meet the increasing demand for his products.
BishopSound’s order book includes enquiries from as far afield as the US, India, West Africa, and Vietnam, as well as reflecting a loyal customer base in the UK among discerning artists, rental companies, and systems integrators. Since the company was formed in 2015, year-on-year growth has stretched resources to the limit, and Bishop now feels the best way forward is to place the business in the hands of a like-minded concern with shared goals in entertainment technology.
Although seven years old, BishopSound’s provenance goes back several decades to wh

UK - Free registration for this year’s PLASA Show will end at midnight tomorrow (31 August). Taking place in Olympia London’s Grand Hall on 4-6 September, the leading entertainment technology trade show promises to deliver some of the latest technology, brand showcases and product demos. Alongside ample networking opportunities, visitors will also be able to take advantage of the show’s free-to-attend seminar programme of over 60 sessions, taking place across four show floor theatres. Meanwhile, the winners of the 2022 PLASA Awards for Innovation and the Gottelier Award will be announced at the show on Monday 5 September.
Don’t miss out – register for your free ticket by midnight tomorrow: https://registration.gesevent.com/survey/1ibtbcj5j6f10?actioncode=WB14

The Netherlands - High bandwidth fibre network specialists, BroaMan, has extended its range of Mux22 devices with the addition of the Mux22 12G - an all-in-one 12G-enabled unit. It will make its debut on their stand (Hall 8, Stand A97) at next month’s IBC2022 broadcast show at the RAI, Amsterdam.
Mux22 in its different guises has been providing solutions in the broadcast environment for nearly a decade due to its protocol independence, and ability to process any signal in just a small 1RU chassis.
Since the 4K era has been firmly adopted by both the commercial and consumer markets, it was only a matter of time before customers asked BroaMan to enable 12G transmission in its devices, states BroaMan MD, Tine Helmle. “Up until now, 12G was available for our Repeat 48 and Repeat 8 Nano, but what the market was really waiting for was the possibility of upgrading our poi

UK - The Llanerch Vineyard Hotel near Pontyclun in South Wales, with its beautiful surrounding grounds, is a popular venue, principally for weddings but also hosting conferences, corporate events, galas and parties.
A large marquee is a permanent fixture there and provides ample space for over 200 guests when required. In common with so many similar venues, the pandemic had caused a huge backlog of weddings and despite its rural location, the sudden rise in noise levels following reopening was causing some difficulties with nearby residents.
Spartan Audio Visual of Cardiff were approached to design, supply and commission an installed sound system that would meet all the various needs of a modern multi-purpose venue, yet also meet the noise control requirements of the area.
Dave Morgan is Spartan AV’s sales & installation director and he remarks, “We kne

UK - Since investing in a Nexo Geo M12 line array a couple of years back, Bluestone Audio is winning more and more mainstage jobs at festivals where they might previously have supplied systems for second or third stages.
A recent example is Lakefest which took place in August at the picturesque Eastnor Castle Deer Park in Herefordshire. The Bristol-based sound rental company has previously handled the VIP Gold Stage at the festival, but this year moved up to the mainstage, with headliners including UB40, Manic Street Preachers, Leftfield and Supergrass.
“This year’s Lakefest gig is typical of how our business is growing with the Geo M12 system,” says Bluestone owner Sam Brook. “And we’re building relationships with other Nexo-equipped rental companies like Total Sound Solutions from Swansea, who are partnering with us at this event.”
With an audience

Europe - KV2 Audio has announced the launch of the 500 series range of processors which, for the first time, are available directly from KV2’s online store at https://shop.kv2audio.com/
The range comprises three models; the TCL thermo-compressor/limiter; the QD8 stereo 8-band master EQ with line driver; and the MPA microphone preamplifier.
The TCL is an analogue thermo audio compressor featuring a superior natural RMS detector and dynamic voice bass enhancement control. Its patented design offers ‘an exceptionally musical and natural compression that is a component part of its real-time input, rather than a typical side-fed gain reduction circuit attempting to either follow or anticipate compression demands’.
QD8 is a George Krampera 8-band stereo equaliser specifically designed to highlight a desired band without adversely affecting the overall sonic lands

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