USA - The Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences (CRAS) in Arizona, has installed two Solid State Logic Origin 32-channel in-line analogue mixing consoles in July. The two new consoles are installed in Studio B at the main CRAS campus in Tempe and Studio B at the satellite campus in Gilbert, where students are first introduced to the signal flow and operation of large-format recording consoles. “Students who enter our programme have access to both consoles,” says Robert Brock, director of education at CRAS. “On any given day, we're running the same class at both locations in parallel.” The two Origins have replaced a pair of 25-year-old consoles that were used by CRAS teaching staff to instruct students on the concepts of audio signal flow and the features and functionality of analogue consoles. With those two older consoles at the end of their serviceab
UK - The University of the Arts London (UAL) recently sought to update its audio-visual systems in classrooms at three key campuses. London-based integrator, Tateside, was approached directly to work on the project. “The project encompassed classroom refurbishment works at South London-based campuses and a full installation at a further campus in High Holborn,” explains Joby Morris, audio visual and networks specialist at Tateside. “We selected Tateside because it was clear from the start that they really understood our vision for using NDI and Dante to create learning environments that had the flexibility of AVoIP without the vendor lock-in of other protocols,” explains Tom Lynch, technical manager at UAL. “Also, as a London-based university, working with a London-based AV Integrator is super valuable and quite rare.” The most significant part of t
China - Located in Lujiang, within China's Anhui Province, the Shishi Zen Temple serves as a place of worship and to enhance both the vocal and musical experience, the Zen Temple made the decision to embrace cutting-edge audio technology. After conducting thorough research, they opted for the Martin Audio active MLA Mini array, complemented by Martin Audio's CDD series, as the basis for their new PA system. The choice of the MLA Mini was based on its sound quality and its ability to optimise coverage, consistency and control of sound for a room's own acoustics, dynamics and the position of the listeners. This was particularly crucial as it ensured that both those near the Buddha statue at the heart of the Zen Temple and those worshiping at a distance could enjoy the same high-quality music and Dharma teachings. The CDD series serves as an auxiliary system, delivering c
Japan - As one of Japan's top five film giants, Toei Tokyo is renowned for its comprehensive business in fields such as film, television, animation, manga, and music. At the end of last year, the company constructed Japan's largest virtual production hub, Toei VP Studios, marking the first independent operation of this type of facility by a film company in Japan. Anticipated to reach full operational status in 2024, the studio showcases a state-of-the-art LED wall comprising AOTO LED panels and powered by Brompton Technology LED processing. Toei VP Studios offers and practices efficient shooting methods, featuring the largest LED stage and one of the most experienced 16-strong teams in the country. The facility spans 640sq.m and utilises eleven 4K Tessera SX40 LED processors, along with 24 Tessera XD 10G data distribution units. “We have chosen an LED video p
Lithuania - The current reconstruction and expansion of the famous Lithuanian National Drama Theater (LNDT) in Vilnius includes a complete sound system makeover, masterminded by Sonus Exsertus. This €19m euro upgrade of a building founded in 1940 is its largest in 40 years. Last year a New Hall was opened, followed by a Small Hall for experimental and small-scale productions. With the existing newly refurbished Great Hall, the LNDT - which is one of the country’s foremost publicly funded cultural institutions - this will provide an overall seating capacity of 1,200. Once fully commissioned by the end of summer 2024, the three separate spaces will have their audio interconnected through an Optocore AutoRouter smart fibre patchbay, which will provide enormous routing flexibility in a fully redundant solution. Sonus were already earmarked for the project’s Ne
USA - LIT Lighting in Tempe, Arizona recently specified, designed, sold and installed new lighting and production equipment in the Footprint Centre, home arena of the NBA’s Phoenix Suns and WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury. The installation, which comprised a new entertainment lighting solution, included Ayrton, MA Lighting, MDG and RapcoHorizon brands, all exclusively distributed in North America by ACT Entertainment. “Pro basketball is not just a game anymore, it showcases elements promoting crowd activation and interaction, which at the Footprint Centre include a dance team, half-time performances often by A-list artists, and a dunk team with trampolines and the team mascot,” says LIT Lighting project manager Casey Jones. “There are a ton of moving pieces that now require entertainment lighting solutions to guarantee that fans have a better experience at games in every po
UK - Treetop Adventure Golf recently announced the opening of a new site in Gateshead. Treetop have taken the idea of adventure golf and brought it up to date, with imaginative set designs and interactive features that whisk players away to far-off and mystical lands during the course of its 18-hole games. To power this story-driven experience, Gateshead required a complete audio system that could handle the demands of a busy visitor attraction whilst providing clear and consistent sound over two floors and two carefully designed courses. A system based around EM Acoustic’s EMS series proved the solution. Lighting, sound and visual providers Full Production led the integration of the project, having previously worked successfully on the Birmingham branch of Treetop Adventure Golf. AV designer Dan Roncoroni was invited to work on the project after being approached by
Germany - From sporting events and shows to parties and concerts - whatever happens at the Rudolf Weber-Arena in Oberhausen, up to 12,700 spectators can be on hand to cheer on their idols. The venue is extremely popular with spectators and event organizers alike - not only because of the great variety of events on offer, but also because its size and central location in the Ruhr area. To ensure that event goers continue to benefit from the highest standards of safety and security, the arena´s technology was recently updated - with a team of experts from Bosch Building Technologies playing a key role. The project involved upgrading the fire alarm, intrusion detection, public address, and voice alarm solution that Bosch originally installed when the arena was built in 1996. What’s more, this time round, the venue operators also opted to install a networked video security an
Italy - Eat. Drink. Party. Repeat. That’s the advice from Circle, a bar and restaurant space in Milan’s fashionable Tortona area, where guests can enjoy hospitality in an urban-chic environment, from the first coffee in the morning until the last dance at night. When it comes to the party element, it’s all about good tunes and quality sound, delivered at Circle by a Nexo ePS system, designed and installed by Vigolzone-based AV solutions providers Ligra. “The client and manager of the venue is also a DJ and expert audiophile who already knows the Nexo brand and appreciates its products,” reports Francesco Pino, Ligra systems engineer. “The brief was to design and install a new, reliable and high-performing system for a venue that hosts a lot of social events and, above all, club nights where DJs perform with audiences of up to 600 people.” Usi
UK - The fifth Treetop Golf venue - newly arrived in Gateshead’s Metrocentre shopping precinct - represents an acceleration in theatrical vision for the themed leisure brand. The recently completed installation was carried out by Reading-based Full Production - with audio by Dan Roncoroni of RavenAV - and features two 18-hole family-focused golf courses: one a Tropical Trail and the other an Ancient Explorer Trail. Both courses benefit from high resolution 3D, object-based immersive soundscape environments, as well as show-stopping automated moments, created by the show control capabilities of TiMax SoundHub. One TiMax SoundHub-S32 with Dante networked I/O manages the three holes per course where the themed appeal is brought to life with lighting and animated immersive audio. On the Tropical Trail area, the scene is set with accurately localised audio objects such a
UK - Packaging specialist Allpack recently transformed its digital capabilities with a video conferencing suite at its Staffordshire National Distribution Centre. Specialising in industry-focused packaging solutions, Allpack aimed to enhance its content offering, including professional client presentations, podcasts, product videos, and online training sessions. Allpack approached audio experts Alchemy System Integration for the system design and supply, who worked closely with the fit-out company to ensure seamless installation of the equipment with the current IT setup, with hardware and cabling concealed within the fabric of the building. Andrew Almond, marketing manager at Allpack, emphasised the need for a scalable and user-friendly interface, incorporating camera setups for flexible product demonstrations and sessions within the Sustainability Suite. Challenges r
South Korea - Situated in the vibrant and ever-evolving metropolis of Seoul, Vive Studios specialises in visual AI-based metaverse content, ‘leveraging cutting-edge technologies to shape the future of virtual production, virtual humans, hyper-realistic immersive content, and CGI’. Part of its offering is a 1,200sq.m Virtual Production facility featuring a large LED wall powered by Brompton Technology LED processing. According to CEO Stanley Kim: “Vive Studios has forged collaborations with prominent partners spanning diverse industry sectors, including entertainment, automotive, e-commerce, gaming, government, and more.” The VP studio empowers clients to unleash the full spectrum of their creativity during shooting sessions. Moreover, the company offers its exclusive virtual production integrated operational solution, meticulously designed for auto lens calibration,
UK - Nestled in the heart of East Belfast, Banana Block, a captivating community space, made its debut in October 2021 as a part of an extensive neighbourhood revitalisation initiative. A thriving ecosystem of local talents and diverse activities, this dynamic venue stands as a living testament to the area's storied past. From hosting a plant shop and bakery to a record shop, mind hacks, mushroom growers, salsa classes and animal foods, Banana Block's day-to-day operations buzz with energy. However, its versatility goes beyond daily activities, as it plays a pivotal role in East Belfast's artistic and entertainment scene. The venue regularly welcomes various events, including art exhibitions, comedy nights, live performances and even parties that attract hundreds of people from near and far. Conleth McGillan, production and programming manager behind Banana Block share
Poland - VuFinder Studios just launched its new studio, boasting to be Poland's largest Virtual Production LED Volume. Since its establishment in 2022, the studio has already completed more than 30 commercial film productions for international brands, such as BMW, One Plus, Veet, and Bosch. "As we started to investigate the possible options, we found the BP2V2 has been adopted by most of the world's largest virtual production studios, such as NantStudios and Amazon Studio. We quickly realised ROE Visual's LED solutions could make a difference for our studio and offer our client base a reliable, high-end solution,” says Melania Kulczycka, founder and client services director at VuFinder Studios. “After closely collaborating on this installation, our choice for ROE Visual has been strongly confirmed. Their support throughout the entire project was incomparable and h
France - K System beaconless 3D tracking system for live experiences earned positive reviews from performers, technical staff and visitors alike this summer at various festivals, and the popular Poupet Festival, with its 100,000 punters over 14 days was no exception. Taking place in the idyllic surroundings of the Vallée de Poupet (in western France’s Vendée), Festival de Poupet launched in 1987 and has grown into one of France’s best-loved boutique festivals. The 2023 edition took place over June and July and featured performances from leading French and international acts, including American singer-songwriter and two-time Grammy Award winner Ben Harper, jazz trumpet prodigy Ibrahim Maalouf, and rap royalty Orelsan. Thomas Maindron, director and programmer of Festival de Poupet, explains that he was first introduced to K System, developed by French start-up Naos
Switzerland - Prolights products took part in the new interactive installation Top of Europe at the Jungfraujoch railway station, the highest in Europe, perched at 3,454m above sea level. Tasked by Jungfrau Railways, Jungfraubahn Holding AG, the installation aims to make the station more engaging for travellers. Iart handled the installation planning and lighting design, with PlusMusic, Prolights' distributor in Switzerland, providing the lighting products. The final choice includes 18 Prolights projectors - 10 Mosaico L for image and gobo projections and eight StudioCob PlucFC for colour projections. The installation's centrepiece is a metal curtain made up of multilayer chains, designed to give the location a new look. Stretching over 30m, the curtain creates an interactive path between the train platform and the viewing platform. The curtain is illuminated by
USA - Located in Brunswick, Georgia, Glynn County Stadium is a busy venue, being home to both the Brunswick Pirates and the Glynn Academy Red Terrors varsity football teams. The 12,000-seater is setting a new standard for game-day sound quality in the region, thanks to an Electro-Voice and Dynacord system installation by AV East, also based in Brunswick. “The sports complex recently constructed a field house behind the stadium with an all-glass wall facing the football field,” explains Anthony Stubelek, owner of AV East. “The slap-back off that wall was creating havoc with the sound from the existing system, installed along with the LED scoreboard a few years ago. It was time for something new.” While Stubelek was putting together options for the complex, his AV partner in the project, iMint Media, suggested that he consider the new Electro-Voice MTS loudspeakers, wh
UK - LED display brand Absen has been chosen by Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) as the LED display partner at Lord’s Cricket Ground to provide high performance screens as part of an extensive refurbishment spanning five years, at the historic St John’s Wood cricket venue. As part of its ongoing £200m ground development programme, Lord’s, ‘The Home of Cricket’, owned by Members of MCC, is not only striving to provide its members and visitors with modern stands and exceptional facilities, but also to improve the overall match day experience for stand spectators throughout the season. As a result of these efforts, MCC selected Absen to initially provide two new outdoor screens, situated within the main playing field. After being impressed with the first implementation, MCC asked Absen to continue the ongoing partnership, by providing a larger third screen as part
USA - Pavion, an integrator of fire, security, critical communications, and audio-visual technology solutions, recently opened its new regional office in Raleigh, North Carolina. The goal was to establish a space for Pavion to showcase its technology solutions whilst providing an updated working environment for its employees. The project was undertaken in a collaboration between Pavion and IA Architects, who worked together to design and execute a solution including KSCAPE’s innovative RAIL technology. “When designing and developing the Pavion Raleigh office, we had three critical focuses: Our People, Our Customers and Innovation,” explains Kristina VanderBrink, southeast regional sales director at Pavion. “We believe everything starts with our people - they are at the centre of our solutions. The goal was to create a workplace that promotes our team members to
UK - Whitecroft Lighting has secured the contract to supply the internal lighting to Everton Football Club for its new Bramley-Moore Dock Stadium in Liverpool. The deal will see the commercial lighting specialist manufacture around 14,000 luminaires for the stadium's main areas, including the concourse, concession areas, press areas, stairwells, corridors, player and staff areas and corporate hospitality. Whitecroft Lighting was awarded the contract due to its experience in successfully delivering complex and high value prestigious projects across the UK, as well as its commitment to supporting the Everton project from initial design to project handover. Due for completion in late 2024, the 52,000-capacity stadium is currently under construction, with the lighting installation set to start in autumn 2023. Whitecroft will be working with main contractor Laing O’
Mexico - It’s more than 20 years since Mexican businessman and philanthropist Alfredo Harp Helú promised the Diablos Rojos del México and their fans a permanent home fit for the most winning team in the history of Mexican baseball. Now the Alfredo Harp Helú Stadium stands as testament to this baseball super-fan’s passion for the game. The first new stadium to be built in Mexico City in the last 50 years, the AHH features a roof resembling a devil’s fork, rising to a height of 31m. In the brief for a sound system commensurate with a project of such uncompromising standards, it was critical that speakers should add as little weight as possible to a structure already weighing some 5,000 tons. “Our customer Logen was appointed as audio system integrator for the project, and they asked us to propose a system that could provide the power and coverage needed
USA - Tedeschi Trucks Band (TTB) is a popular contemporary blues band, known for musicianship and gripping live performances, so Nashville-based lighting designer Tony Caporale of design studio InfinitusVox was delighted to be asked to design a new lighting scheme for their live shows. Tony has enjoyed an action packed 2023 schedule and TTB is a new client. They reached out to him after seeing some of his other work, particularly the Goose tour earlier in the year, for which he was lighting programmer, working closely with LD Andrew Goedde. A long-term Robe advocate, when Tony started drawing up the plot, he looked to some of his most trusted moving lights - Fortes, Spiiders and MegaPointes - to help add that special magic and sparkle for TTB’s stage presentation. It started as a summer shed and theatre tour and crossed over to arenas towards the later US dates
UK - Notts County has listened to fan requests and upgraded the sound system at its Meadow Lane stadium. Having experienced the challenges of an aging PA for several years, the football club opted to invest in a top-of-the-line solution to improve the matchday experience while also meeting all the life safety requirements of the 18,816-capacity ground. To achieve these goals, Notts County turned to the combined benefits of Electro-Voice, Dynacord and Bosch equipment. As the oldest professional football club in the world and a founder member of the football league, Notts County has the kind of history that generates a large and dedicated fan base. While established in 1862, the club has been playing its home games at Meadow Lane since 1910, with the current all-seater stadium built in the early 1990s. When these stands were completed, the club purchased a second-hand s
Indonesia - In the past 20 years, hospitalisations in Indonesia for neurological-related conditions have increased rapidly, with stroke being the leading cause of death and disability in almost all hospitals in Indonesia. To improve stroke prevention, survival and rehabilitation, the Indonesian government’s Ministry of Health established a new hospital on Java to serve as the country’s epicentre of comprehensive brain and nerve health services. The 11-storey hospital encompasses 11,000sq.m with beds for up to 350 patients. The hospital deployed steerable loudspeakers from Renkus-Heinz in their ballroom to deliver highly intelligible audio for medical seminars. The hospital turned to PT Kairos Multi Jaya, Renkus-Heinz’s Indonesian distributor together with PT DKSI, for help outfitting the audio system in the ballroom. They recommended Renkus-Heinz’s ICLive X Se
