USA - The deep history of Bridgewater Church of the Brethren in Bridgewater, Virginia stretches back into the late 1700s, when the first Europeans migrated into the area. Centuries of branching and growth led to the construction of the church’s current sanctuary in 1998.
The fan-shaped room seats approximately 500 people and is open, inviting, and sympathetically appointed. However, its existing sound reinforcement system (as old as the sanctuary itself) was broken and behind the times. The church's property is on the campus of Bridgewater College, a facility that earlier in 2020 received a Danley upgrade for their chapel.
A member of the church was very impressed and excited about bringing local integrator RTW Media, of Orville, Virginia, into Church of the Brethren to transform their old system. RTW replaced the previous system with a Danley Sound Labs point source

UK - Martin Audio partner Old Barn Audio (OBA) has completed its second major VR installation, in which an immersive environment is created with stereoscopic 3D headsets coupled with a mixed-reality sound system. Designed by MagicBeans and commissioned by MXT Reality, it combines open-backed binaural headphones with a full procedural 3D speaker environment, fulfilled by a Martin Audio CDD system.
Two years after creating an immersive theatre for SOMNAI at Clerkenwell, in central London, OBA partnered with the same immersive audio production house, now known as MagicBeans, to deliver a similar environment for the simulation and training of Highways England personnel - in order to give them real-world exposure to motorway scenarios.
The installation was carried out in a repurposed 30m x 8m long rectangular office space in one of their warehouses, at a new distribution c

The Netherlands - AVL Rent of Wervershoof chose a range of Pioneer Pro Audio systems to meet the needs of multiple applications at Oscar Romero school in Hoorn.
The school recently underwent extensive renovation and refurbishment to provide its students with state-of-the-art facilities. With a focus on sustainability, increased space and improved resources, the project was completed in November 2020. Improvements to the school’s audio provision were considered essential, and its management team engaged with local installation specialists AVL to deliver new systems for twelve different spaces across the building.
The systems required by Oscar Romero needed to meet a diverse set of requirements. Where two gymnasiums would require powerful solutions that could fill large spaces, the lecture hall would require crystal clear reinforcement for speech, music and film audio.

China - Ge’s Fairy Village Resort, located in Shangrao, Jiangxi, has long been a tourist hotspot famous for its religious culture and natural scenery. In order to keep the resort as attractive as possible, the administrators have undertaken construction of a new attraction, known as Lingbao Fairyland.
To ensure that the audio infrastructure lived up to the scale of the attraction itself, Chinese company EZPro was hired to design and install an impressive sound system powered by 20 Powersoft amplifier platforms from across the company’s extensive fixed install range.
A total of 160 loudspeakers were deployed across Lingbao Fairyland, made up of 136 Hi-Z and 24 Lo-Z systems. To drive this, EZPro used three Powersoft Duecanali 1604 DSP+D, four Duecanali 804 DSP+D, six Mezzo 602AD, two Quattrocanali 1204 DSP+D, and five X4 DSP+D, all Dante enabled.
“The origin

USA - Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW) has announced the appointment of pro audio veteran Michael Palmer as its director of US sales.
In his new role at EAW, Palmer is overseeing all aspects of sales throughout the US, working closely with manufacturer’s sales reps and regional sales managers. He will liaise with EAW’s installation and touring applications teams as well as consultants, contractors and concert/event production companies.
“We reached a point where it was crucial to strengthen our sales leadership to guide our talented sales team to the next level,” says Marco Breda, chief executive officer of EAW. “Palmer’s stellar reputation, knowledge and relationships with key decision makers in our industry make him the ideal candidate to catapult us to the next level.”
With over 30 years of experience in the audio industry, Palmer comes to EAW from

UK - Audiologic has announced that Rob Davies has joined the team as national account manager.
Davis joins Audiologic with a career background in audio which spans multiple sectors, including high-end car audio, hi-fi, home cinema, home automation and, for the last six years, pro audio. His experience covers retailers and installation companies but mainly account management for UK distributors, which is where he feels most at home. He has been involved with projects as diverse as theatres, town halls, sports halls, night clubs and cruise ships.
Andy Lewis, managing director, Audiologic, comments: “We are proud to welcome Rob Davies into a role that we have been keen to develop for some time. Due to an increase in larger and more demanding projects, we are keen to ensure that every one of our customers has access to the full suite of services we can provide. Rob will

Germany - Neumann.Berlin has introduced the MA 1, an integrated hard/software tool for acoustic calibration and room correction, tailor-made for Neumann studio monitors. Calibration algorithms, jointly developed with the Fraunhofer IIS, ensure best possible monitoring quality in any environment - from acoustically untreated bedroom studios to professional control rooms, says the company.
The system consists of an individually calibrated Neumann measurement microphone and the corresponding software for Mac and PC.
“The Neumann studio monitor portfolio is experiencing an enormous increase in demand; in some cases more than 60% compared to the previous year,” explains Ralf Oehl, CEO of Neumann.Berlin.
“According to user feedback, one of the main reasons is that our monitors have the highest acoustic consistency on the market; different models deliver identica

Europe - DirectOut named Audiosales (Italy) as Distributor of the Year during the company’s recent Insider event. DirectOut also recognised the exceptional performances of tm stagetec systems (Australia) with the award Rookie of the Year award, while Lawo BVBA (Netherlands) took the Prodigy of the Year accolade.
Jan Ehrlich, CEO of DirectOut, states: “Our cooperation with Audiosales has constantly developed over the past 10 years and we appreciate Audiosales’ professional performance in service and support across the pro audio and broadcast segments in Italy. It’s another success story and this award expresses a well-deserved acknowledgement for their great job.”
Marco Alterini, sales director of Audiosales adds, “Receiving this award is of great satisfaction for us, not only because of a great year, but also because it is the tangible proof of what kind of

Finland - The Finnish Sports Museum housed at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki has recently re-opened to the public with a completely revitalised permanent exhibition after extensive renovations closed the venue for five years.
The new exhibitions celebrate Finnish sport using the best of what modern technology has to offer, including a Genelec Smart IP audio solution. All audio, video and control technology was supplied by AV integration specialists Studiotec Oy, with AV and sound design by building services engineering experts, Granlund Oy.
Granlund’s Aki Päivärinne and Timo Muurinen were responsible for the AV design. “Our aim was to put the visitor in the middle of the action, to make them feel as if they are really there,” says Päivärinne. “It’s hard to think of any sport where sound is not a crucial part of the experience. Sounds from various sports

USA - LEA Professional has announced a partnership with Polaris Controls to serve the company’s growing customer base in Latin America and the Caribbean. With both organisations led by teams of recognised industry veterans, the partnership will seek to further enhance LEA Professional’s growing customer base in these international markets.
Polaris Controls has been operating in the pro audio industry for over a decade. Co-founder Ariel Enrique Gutiérrez comments, “The AV industry across all verticals is changing and it is imperative that companies move with that change. LEA Professional is agile and dynamic and can easily respond to the changes in the market, not to mention their solutions are intuitive, easy to use and built with integrators in mind.
“LEA understands the importance of customer care and engaging with your audience via digital tools. They are n

UK - Polar has been appointed as the UK and Ireland distributor for AMX, a part of Harman Professional Solutions.
AMX is dedicated to integrating AV solutions for an IT World, solving the complexity of managing technology ‘with reliable, consistent and scalable systems comprising control and automation, system-wide switching and AV signal distribution, digital signage and technology management’. AMX systems are deployed worldwide in conference rooms, homes, classrooms, network operation/command centres, hotels, entertainment venues and broadcast facilities.
AMX is dedicated to integrating AV solutions for an IT World, solving the complexity of managing technology with ‘reliable, consistent and scalable systems comprising control and automation, system-wide switching and AV signal distribution, digital signage and technology management’. AMX systems are deployed

UK - #WeMakeEvents, the campaign to support the live entertainment sector during the COVID crisis, is hosting an online Speakeasy from Monday 30 November to Friday 8 January. This new virtual space will deliver skills workshops, support sessions for finance and wellbeing, ‘fireside chats’ with some of the industry’s greats, and plenty of entertainment. All industry professionals are invited to join in and connect with colleagues during what will likely be a difficult festive period for many.
The Speakeasy will run regular quizzes, webinars, Q&A clinics and training sessions, and will host a forum on Discord which will be open at all hours for people to seek and share advice.
On the agenda is a highly anticipated live conversation between former Cirque du Soleil artists Laura-Ann Chong and Andy Buchanan, advice on motivation through these difficult times, pl

UK - South London studio Belly of the Beast has become the first facility in the UK to install a Neve 8424 console.
The studio pre-ordered the desk prior to its release in June, following an in-depth demo that highlighted its full range of features. Designed to offer a centralised platform between the worlds of analogue and digital, this small format console delivers the large format sound of the Neve 80-series console range and is well suited to studios like Belly of the Beast where esoteric and vintage outboard equipment play a significant role in the facility’s workflow.
“For studios like ours where you have a large and varied collection of preamps, EQs and interesting bits of outboard gear, this desk is ideal because it provides a very logical system to bring all of those elements together,” says producer, mix engineer and studio manager James Rand. “We no

USA - Fulcrum Acoustic's FL283T Line Array provides the throw and tight vertical dispersion needed to distribute uniform coverage to the multiple levels of seating at Heritage Apostolic Church in Holly Springs, MS, without energising the full vertical expanse of the open space.
Fulcrum’s Passive Cardioid Technology provided the broadband control needed to keep sound energy off the altar.
Church leaders decided to build a new sanctuary to fit their modern worship style as their congregation continued to grow beyond their original location. Their new church is an open two-story space with tiered seating along the stairways on either side. The stairways lead to a small balcony that wraps around the back of the room with two rows of seating. When designing the church, extra care was put into acoustics. Room geometries were developed to reduce standing waves while padded

Canada - As long-time audio solutions providers for the Canadian government, GerrAudio and Engineering Harmonics have a steady grasp on the needs of its officials.
When the companies’ principals were presented with the challenge of creating a custom podium microphone solution for the interim House of Commons, they turned to DPA Microphones. The custom solution is based off DPA’s 4081 mics along with a DPA TSM 4001 shock-mount, which fit into the cut-outs of the Parliament’s existing podium units.
“When you’re working with such a high-level client, there are no compromises,” explains Martin Van Dijk, senior consultant/partner at Engineering Harmonics. “There were really specific requirements for how the microphones worked, how they picked up the sources and, obviously, for their sound quality. Given the need for a clean aesthetic and simple solution, body-

USA - First Christian Church in Elizabethtown, Kentucky recently called in JCA Media for the latest upgrade to its campus. Having already completed several installation projects for the congregation in the past, JCA Media was on-hand to deliver a Martin Audio main PA system and ceiling speaker installation for the church’s worship areas, classrooms and children’s play areas.
The decision to go with Martin Audio was a simple one. “The tech directors were already familiar with Martin Audio and we always rely on their systems for these types of installations,” explained Alex Peake, integration specialist at JCA Media.
JCA Media installed three Martin Audio CDD10s as LCR speakers alongside a pair of SX112 subs flown above the stage to deliver smooth, even coverage across the space. “For this project, the CDDs merged together so beautifully within the main worsh

Poland - The Brzeskie Cultural Centre in the southwestern town of Brzeg recently reopened following a programme of modernisation. The centre, which stages a wide range of entertainment productions, cultural events, cinema and arts education classes, comprises three principle event spaces - a Main Events Hall, a Chamber Hall and a Cinema.
The centre enjoyed a significant investment in its facilities, aimed at providing its users and audiences with a first class experience. In order to furnish each of the spaces with a high quality audio system, the main construction company working on the project, MPM Development, recommended audio specialists Tommex to supply and install Coda Audio systems throughout - a choice accepted by the centre’s team. Each hall required a distinct independent design to meet its specific needs, using loudspeakers and amplification combinations drawn

UK - Apparel and tech brand STNDBY has launched its flagship range of sustainable clothes and accessories, designed for crew and creatives.
STNDBY (www.STNDBYworld.com) was conceived by lighting and production designer Tom Campbell and host, producer and entrepreneur James Murden to offer clothing and accessories that are ‘as functional as they are fashionable’. With partnerships in place with companies such as Avolites and Dirty Rigger and offering customisation, gifting options and tour swag, STNDBY’s products are designed ‘to work and built to last’.
“We’ve spent almost two years researching the problems crew face finding work gear and developing these products to solve those problems,” said Campbell. "We’re so proud of the incredible feedback we’ve had throughout our testing phase and can’t wait to s

Sweden - CT Northern Europe which has offices across Sweden, Norway and Denmark has become an L-Acoustics certified provider for the event market.
“I have been working with the L-Acoustics brand since 1995 and have seen the advantage of dealing with such a reputable company,” says CT’s business unit manager, Ola Bigélius. “I have always believed in developing a close connection with our suppliers. Becoming an official L-Acoustics certified provider corresponds perfectly with this objective.”
A long-term benefit of being an L-Acoustics partner is the training programme offered by L-Acoustics. CT’s new technicians will benefit from the technical knowledge of the manufacturer, allowing CT Northern Europe to maintain high service standards within the team.
“Adding Ola and the Creative Technology team in Scandinavia to the network of L-Acoustics partn

Canada - The organisers of the 21st edition of the annual MUTEK electronic music and arts festival in Montréal navigated a delicate pathway between virtual and live performances at the two venues hosting in-person/live-streamed performances: the Society for Arts and Technology (SAT) and Cinquième Salle at Place des Arts. The event adapted to the times with a hybrid model that depended heavily on Meyer Sound products and highlighted the company’s new spatial sound design and mixing tool, Spacemap Go for iPad.
According to MUTEK sound designer Jonathan LaFontaine of One Wave, the festival’s approach had to adapt to the evolving restrictions on live performances. Once the venues were confirmed, One Wave worked closely with GerrAudio Distribution and Meyer Sound to put together effective solutions.
At Place des Arts, the system consisted of eight Meyer Sound LINA lin

Switzerland - Each summer, The Montreux Jazz Festival (MJF) takes place for two weeks in Switzerland, on Lake Geneva's shores. Shure has backed the festival each year since 1995 by providing onsite support and a large number of wired as well as wireless microphones. Sadly, this year is different, and like so many events across the globe, MJF 2020 was unable to take place.
Determined to ensure music lives on despite the current global crisis, the team at The Montreux Jazz Artists Foundation (MJAF) - a non-profit foundation helping to promote up-and-coming talent - has maintained its activities despite the cancellation of July's annual MJF festival dates. Coined Autumn of Music, a series of COVID-secure performances and workshops were successfully staged in October.
The free week-long event consisted of concerts by emerging Swiss talent and the Montreux Jazz Acade

UK - disguise has recognised the need to take learning online. Users can now access the company’s full complement of training courses directly from a new online learning management system (LMS), free to anyone looking to upskill in any of the disguise workflows and disciplines. The launch of the online platform coincides with disguise’s decision to extend the free licence for their Designer software until June 2021 in an initiative to extend learning opportunities to all.
The disguise training team has redesigned the entire training programme, in order to facilitate remote and flexible learning. The new programme will split each major course up into two parts; one taught online on the new system, and the second, more practical part, carried out in-person. The programme will allow students to test their knowledge on specialist disguise equipment, and students will also ha

Lithuania - This August saw a production of The Flying Dutchman, Richard Wagner’s fifth masterpiece, brought to Lithuanian opera fans for the first time. Staged in an open-air setting by the Klaipėda State Musical Theatre and featuring leading Lithuanian soloists including Sandra Janušaitė, the event became one of the most celebrated musical productions of the year, selling out all of its socially distanced 1,000 seats to lucky spectators.
Dual DiGiCo SD12 96-channel consoles with two SD-Racks and D2-Racks were selected by one of the largest audio rental companies in the Baltics, NGR Service, to bring the magic of this one-act opera to life.
Fitting its original theme, the opera production took place on the slipway of Paul Willy Lindenau shipyard complex in Klaipėda, with its colossal structures and hoists, as well as frequently changing weather condition

USA - Despite being launched just six years ago, Eikon Group has already established itself as a leading player in the digital audio mastering, versioning and localisation industry, with a client list that includes many major studios and entertainment distribution companies.
Eikon recently opened a major new facility in Burbank, California, which features Alcons Audio pro-ribbon systems in four of its audio-critical, Dolby Atmos screening rooms.
With clients that include Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, Disney, 20th Century, Netflix, CBS, Universal International Pictures and Warner Bros, Eikon has to maintain the highest audio standards. The new 20,000sq.ft (1860sq.m) Burbank complex houses a range of post-production suites, ranging in size from 125sq.ft (12sq.m) to 1200sq.ft (112sq.m). These include two large and two mid-sized Dolby Atmos listening rooms, all using

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