Duran Audio recently released an update to its Axys Intellivox digitally steerable arrays. Now, with six channels of DSP, the arrays are even more steerable with more definition and throw. Also on the stand was an unusual-looking item, the Axys Intellidisk - a 90cm diameter disk with a total of 41 4" drivers in a grid giving exceptional steerability and directivity in both planes.

Steeldeck Sales showcased a range of innovations for the staging world, many designed to either disappear or fold into a very small space when not in use. The motorized NIVOflex Professional Motor scissor platform needs a 200mm pit depth to accommodate a platform which will rise to up to 1m and bear a 750kg/sq.m load. Also on show was the non-motorized Stabilo version, which is simple to manually raise and lower. Spiderflex-based portable staging was another highlight of the stand, designed by Claus Fleischhauer and using technology which allows the all-metal legs to fold away into a tiny, lightweight package, yet having a point load bearing capacity of 216kg when the stage is deployed.

With 22 new products on show, beyerdynamic had most audio bases were covered. The company presented the Opus 86 flexible gooseneck microphone, a lightweight mic with high gain before feedback, designed for easy mounting for a variety of applications, including any type of instrument from sax to accordion. Powered by a 9V battery, the unit can mix three mic inputs and route the output to a pocket transmitter or wired power supply unit. The Opus 89 vocal microphone made its debut: the hypercardioid handheld is built to withstand the rigours of the road.

The MCW-D 50 wireless conference system isa digital system, broadcasting on 2.4GHz DSSS transmission technology, featuring 128-bit data encryption and the ability to operate a total of 4,096 mic units on up to nine bi-directional data channels: flexible and expandable.

Among its third-party lines, beyerdynamic showed the Viper Digital P

Alongside its fiendishly clever, PLASA Award-winning Visual Patch, Artistic Licence also showed the Pixi-Web. Pixi-Web is essentially a reconfigurable and transparent LED drape. Made of a grid of webbing, with an RGB LED source placed at each intersection, Pixi-Web can be reconfigured using the snap connectors on each horizontal and vertical section. Not only does this make Pixi-Web able to fit into any space or shape, but it also allows it to virtually disappear on stage when not in use.

USA - While readying the sound system for the Wynn Las Vegas' brand new Aqua Theatre, theatrical audio specialist Pascal Van Strydonck, head of audio for the venue and also the show's sound designer, was presented with a significant problem. The 2,087-seat, in-the-round home of Franco Dragone's Le Reve - The Show was suddenly not the same venue acoustically as originally designed. Fronted by a Yamaha DM2000 digital console, the house PA, a 5.1 surround, 360-degree, six-zone system by Meyer Sound, was already ordered and installed, yet architectural and rigging changes significantly affected its performance.

As a result, Van Strydonck decided that comprehensive acoustic measurement and tuning were in order for the theatre. "The quality of the PA is impeccable," says Van Strydonck. "But unfortunately the cabinet types were chosen for a specific design and it

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ETC Halcyon Silent

High End Systems Halcyon Silent builds on ETC’s legacy of fanless automated fixtures by incorporating features from the highly sought-after Halcyon family. Halcyon Silent perfectly balances silent operation with brilliant output of 18,400 lumens and high-impact features. 

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Promoting its new name, new staff and most of all its Arena production rehearsal, television and film sound stage facility in Yorkshire, the LiteStructures Group stand had a significant makeover from last year. Rather than fill the stand with product, this year it was a lounge where the company could - as national sales account manager James Light put it - "get to know clients all over again." The Group's purpose-built Arena (see L&SI September 2005) is a premier league facility which LiteStructures is keen to promote. First used by Coldplay, forthcoming production rehearsals include Phil Collins and The Osmonds.

Stage Technologies Beamhoist may have picked up an Award for Innovation (see pages 58-59), but the new entry-level Illusionist console was also on display, running the Chameleon control software which is common to all Stage Technologies controllers.
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Create new traditions – Cameo P6 - High Output Full-Spectrum Ellipsoidal

Cameo's P6 is a future-proof LED profiler with a powerful 600 W RGBACL engine and 16,000 lumens. It’s an energy-efficient replacement for 2.5 kW halogen profile lights in theatres and venues. With excellent light quality and natural colour rendering, it fits perfectly in theatres, musicals, TV studios, congresses, and live events.

With an LED life of 50,000 hours and low power use, the P6 cuts energy costs and supports the EU’s ‘Green Deal’ goals for climate neutrality by 2050. It also meets updated eco-design rules for lighting.

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UK - This summer saw a CyberHoist / InMotion 3D motion control system, installed by Vertigo Rigging, make automated flying possible for the first time at Chichester's Festival Theatre in an acclaimed performance of How To Succeed in Business without Really Trying. The theatre, which opened in 1962, enjoys an international reputation for creating exceptional live performances, but its design does not include a fly tower.

The musical, which originally opened in the same year, played at the city's summer-long Chichester Festivities arts festival. The production was directed by Martin Duncan, designed by Francis O'Connor and choreographed by Stephen Mear. Lighting design was by Chris Ellis.

At the centre of the set is a large ceiling piece that serves several scenic purposes and is required to fly in and out, along with a large light box. Both elements also had to be removed to th

Autograph Sales' Mike Mann detailed the company's new direction: "Autograph Sales is a revitalized company, we have come of age and entered a new phase," he said. The company has tracked down several smaller independent audio manufacturers - one being EM Acoustics, a young British loudspeaker manufacturing company based in Surrey. With Autograph Sound Recording using many DiGiCo D5Ts on high profile theatre shows, Autograph Sales has recently also taken on the D1. On the software front, acoustic analysis programme Room Tools from German company Ascendo was being demonstrated. Working in conjunction with a USB audio box with software can provide RTA, FFT, waterfall plots of frequency decay, amongst other things, in real time.

Finally, Mann was excited to show us the new GR2 Analogue Zone Mixer from Allen & Heath: the model with serial number 1, in fact.

Another Italian manufacturer, DTS added to the LED fray with its new Delta R LED moving head fixture. This IP65-rated RGB fixture has interchangeable optical units to vary the beam angle from 25-40°.

Penton UK manufactures and sells loudspeakers for voice evacuation and background music systems. At PLASA this year, the company was exhibiting the latest addition to its range, the RCS3/T miniature ceiling loudspeaker. Rated at 6W, the 100 volt line, 8 ohm metal fitting only requires a cut-out of 78mm, a similar size to downlighters, making them less conspicuous in a ceiling. The RCS3/Ts, like all Penton products, are BS5839 Part 8 compliant.

Flight case and speaker fittings manufacturer Penn Fabrications showed a selection of its wares including the new polyurethane inserts for flight cases - the first one of which is for Martin Professional's MAC 250 Krypton moving light. This offers a snug fit and superlative protection for the contents of the case.

Three brand new products were showcased by Swisson. Top of the bill was the XSD - an affordable, rack-mount sine wave dimmer in three versions which feature 12 x 2.5kw or 6 x 5kW dimming channels, 32 scenes and software upgradeability via a USB port. The X-MD-20 is a rugged, single-channel digital dimmer which comes in 16, 20 and 25A versions, while the X-MG-51 is a high-speed 5:1 DMX merger, which allows up to five lighting desks to be connected to one DMX-512 line.

ADS Worldwide's project manager, Keith Prescott, describes the company as the one-stop-shop for public address systems. The ADS stand was full of a selection of the company's wide range of products including background music systems, induction loop amplifiers, loudspeakers and accessories.

Trussing manufacturer Metalworx came to PLASA to meet up with everyone the company knew in one place at one time and talk about new projects. Metalworx, manufacturer of the Penn brand, carries out a lot of custom-based trussing work as well as complete non-truss aluminium fabrications for anything from exhibition stands to nightclubs.

Serapid, the French stage machinery and motorization supplier, was promoting its Linklift rigid chain lifting system. There are four Linklift products currently available - 100, 80, 50 and 30 and it consists of a sprocket-driven chain and a drive housing. The chain becomes rigid after passing through the drive housing and the system can carry loads of up to 10 tonnes per chain, and for the 100 model at up to 7m high.

From Finland, EKS was capitalizing on the massive success of its XP10 scratchable MP3 audio pad. Weighing just 370g, it can replace a 5kg CD player, say the company. This year, the XP10 was running with Bison v0.9, the latest version of its proprietary software, which brings two important new features to the mix - perfect vinyl emulation and time stretch. Time stretch maintains the pitch while you change the speed to faster or slower.

ADB's ISIS Light Tablet is a tablet PC running the ISIS software, which can then remotely control any of ADB's ISIS compatible Phoenix/XT or Mentor lighting control systems. The luxurious operating environment of the tablet PC is seen as an antidote to standard remote or Pocket PC remote systems.

Lee Filters launched a number of new diffusion filters which are now added to its growing range - Soft Frost, Half Soft Frost, Highlight, Half Highlight and Quiet Frost are the new additions. How soothing.

Kupo went to great lengths to show visitors on its stand the new Digi-Check DMX512 tester. The CNC aluminium housing was impressive, and its simple display - as well as a built-in torch - would make it a useful device for most tool boxes.

JTE commented at PLASA that its trussing range is to be streamlined to help clarify the product range, and although its product line was at the show in force, it was obvious that the company's focus was on its LED products - PixelRange - of which a number of new products were on display. The Pixel Brick is a small, 22-LED fixture available as an indoor or outdoor (IP65) version with either a white, black or silver finish as standard.The Pixel Eight RGB is an LED version of the classic Thomas 8-light blinder. With 72 Luxeon LEDs and onboard processing, the Pixel Eight can be controlled by 3, 6, 12 or 24 DMX512 channels.

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