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20 November 2024

China - The Taihu Jazz Festival is held every year in the National Centre for Performing Arts in Beijing. During five days in May, musicians from China and beyond performed to excited crowds in the purpose-built outdoor performance spaces.

Over 50 jazz performances took place, including sets from French harmonica master Laurent Maur, jazz trumpeter, Li Xiaochuan, and other Chinese and international musicians, who took to the stage of the Taihu Stage Art Centre to kick off the 2024 Taihu Jazz Festival. Central to each was the power of DiGiCo’s Quantum series, with a Quantum 338 at the front of house position, a Quantum 225 at monitors and an SD10 for broadcast.

Three free performance stages - the Dance Art Workshop Stage, the Snowflake Stage, and the Instrumental Interactive Stage - were set up by RAC Pro, DiGiCo distributor in Chi

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20 November 2024

USA - To most people in the continental U.S., Alaska evokes a narrative of rugged individuals thriving under even more rugged conditions. Between weather, terrain, and sheer remoteness of most of the state, that’s more than mythology.

Government workers and contractors regularly endure brutal conditions while managing disaster recovery and infrastructure efforts, and solo filmmaker Jake Sloan is often there to document the process. With literally one hand on the camera and the other running sound, he trusts the latter to Rycote microphones and equipment. These include the HC-15 and HC-22 shotgun microphones, Cyclone baskets, Softie windscreens, and lavalier solutions including Stickie mounts and Windjammer screens.

“One of the biggest projects I've been working on for the last year has been for a statewide effort with the Alaska Department of Tra

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20 November 2024

UK - Shure has announced its inclusion in the Microsoft Device Ecosystem Platform (MDEP). MDEP is an Android-based platform designed to enable device manufacturers and software developers to deliver innovative solutions that meet the needs of all users. It is backed by Microsoft's reputation for security, trust, and management.

MDEP provides enhanced security, device pairing, accessibility, and management capabilities for Microsoft Teams Rooms on Android devices.

“We are excited to further expand our partnership with Microsoft through MDEP,” said Sam Sabet, chief technology officer at Shure. “MDEP provides another avenue for innovation on the highly popular Android platform, leading to the right solutions for our customers. This partnership ensures that our solutions, like IntelliMix Room software, can meet the highest security standards and de

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19 November 2024

USA - Audix is celebrating its 40th anniversary as a manufacturer of microphones. Since 1984, Audix has grown to offer a wide range of microphones for audio recording, live performance, and installed sound applications. Today, product families for instruments, vocals, and studio recording enjoy a reputation for audio fidelity, build quality and sensible pricing.

To celebrate its history and continued innovation, the company has produced a limited edition of the D6 kick drum microphone. The Limited Edition D6X microphone has all the sonic attributes that makes D6 a classic, plus additional filtering options. Only 100 units of the bead blasted D6X Limited Edition will be produced and will be available through selected giveaways throughout the next months.

In 1986, the Audix OM1 handheld dynamic mic was born. The OM1 began to amass a word-of-mouth reput

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19 November 2024

Japan - With an acoustic design created primarily with opera performances in mind, the 2,196-seat Toyama City Arts and Culture Hall (Aubade Hall) opened in 1996 in the Japan’s Toyama City. Now a new medium-sized, multi-purpose hall has been completed at the same site with a maximum of 652 seats which, along with the stage, can be moved to enable a wide range of configurations from conventional raked theatre seating to a flat floor for exhibitions.

Loudspeakers from Nexo’s Geo M, P+ and ID Series were selected for a customised flexible sound system in the new medium-sized hall.

“Actually, we have been using Nexo speakers in the large hall for a long time. Therefore, we are familiar with the sound of Nexo and thought that it would suit the medium hall as well,” reports Mr. Akira Sone, head of the stage technical department, sound, at Aubade Hal

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19 November 2024

UK - Long-term Martin Audio rental partner, W E Audio, recently underlined its commitment to the British manufacturer, by making a massive investment across the latest Wavefront Precision line array portfolio.

Founded by Wayne Barker, W E Audio’s upgraded inventory is headed by Martin Audio’s flagship WPL large format line array, and SXH218 subwoofers, as well as FlexPoint FP12s, Torus, and XE500 wedge monitors. At the same time, in order to give them further scalability and flexibility, the company has also invested heavily in the smaller WPS and WPC line arrays – all delivered in recent months to its base in Oxfordshire.

Last month saw the production company’s highest-profile deployment of the large-format WPL to date – on Seal’s European tour. The core PA design is based around 12 WPL cabinets per side, with six WPS units for front-fil

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19 November 2024

USA - With the help of PureTek Group – provider of innovative technology solutions for educational spaces based out of Boonton, New Jersey – Plainfield High School recently completed a major renovation to its auditorium, along with the addition of two new spaces: an eSports gaming arena and a black box theatre.

To provide clear communication between those disparate parts of the school, Plainfield High School, along with PureTek Group, turned to Pliant Technologies’ CrewCom professional wireless intercom system. 

“We chose Pliant to help orchestrate what could be a very chaotic experience,” says Dan Litvin, co-founder and president of PureTek Group. “The CrewCom system is used extensively throughout the school and produces unified performance, from standard backstage theatrical production applications, to managing cameras, lighting and au

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19 November 2024

UK - Shure has introduced the MXA902 + ANIUSB-Matrix Audio Conferencing Kit. The kit comes in a single, ready-to-go package that includes the MXA902 Ceiling Array Microphone with Built-In Loudspeaker, paired and pre-routed with the ANIUSB-Matrix Audio Network Interface for simple setup and seamless connectivity to popular conferencing platforms. The kit is certified for Microsoft Teams Rooms and Zoom Rooms and works with Google Meet.

“With rising demand for better collaboration experiences in modern workplaces, IT managers require superior audio solutions to enrich communication, while maintaining simplicity in installation and operation,” said Sean Bowman, associate VP of sales, North America, at Shure. “The new Audio Conferencing Kit streamlines deployment and management, easily providing the flagship audio quality Shure is known for. This kit includ

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19 November 2024

Europe - Neutrik has further extended its etherCON TOP product offering to meet the demands of data networking in the field and addressing feedback directly from end users.

The NE8MXR-B-TOP retractable RJ45 carrier cable connector delivers the environmental protection of etherCON TOP with the capability to mate with etherCON and standard RJ45 receptacles – through a simple retraction of the shell, retaining this piece on the cable. The rugged diecast shell is retractable from the RJ45 plug to enable use in a wide variety of applications and with devices that do not use etherCON receptacles.

The carrier shell’s chuck type strain relief ensures its suitability for use in harsh application environments, for networks operating in entertainment production, media acquisition and beyond. IP65-rated protection against ingress of liquids and particulates

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18 November 2024

UAE - Bose Professional recently celebrated the grand opening of a new sales office and experience centre in Dubai, with industry leaders and partners from the MEA region.

The Dubai office marks the 10th new international business location Bose Professional has opened this year, including new offices and experience centres in London, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Singapore, Beijing, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Osaka, and Tokyo, with plans to open a new Bose Professional global headquarters and experience centre early next year in Hopkinton, Massachusetts.

Located in the rapidly growing Sharjah district, conveniently accessible from the Dubai International Airport, the new office combines modern business spaces and meeting rooms with an experience centre, designed for education and demonstration and featuring Bose Professional’s line-up of loudspeakers, power ampli

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18 November 2024

Poland - Wharfedale Pro has announced Mega Music as its new distribution partner in Poland.

With over three decades of experience in the professional audio industry, Mega Music has built a solid reputation for supporting musicians, public facilities, and commercial venues with high-quality audio equipment and innovative solutions.

"We are excited to partner with Wharfedale Pro, a brand known for its commitment to quality and innovation in the pro audio industry,” says Mega Music’s Dariusz Adamowicz. “Our team is looking forward to bringing Wharfedale Pro's exceptional products to a broader audience in Poland and supporting the needs of our clients across various sectors."

“The team at Mega Music will play a key role in strengthening our presence and boosting Wharfedale Pro's visibility across major Polish markets,” says Danny Clarke

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15 November 2024

UK - Paolo Nutini’s world tour recently wrapped after 130 shows, where DPA Microphones brought clarity, reliability and a powerful impact to each performance.

Leading the sound team for Nutini’s tour were three industry veterans: Front of house (FOH) engineer Ben Findlay, monitor engineer Grace Howat and stage technician Chad Chadwick. Together, they harnessed DPA’s microphones to capture Nutini’s signature sound in every venue.  

“For the tour, we integrated an array of DPA microphones across the stage,” says Findlay. “We tailored the setup to meet the demands of a nine-piece band. The equipment chosen reflected the needs of each instrument and artist.

“Four DPA 4011 Cardioids were positioned to enhance the detail and precision of the snare drums, while four 4099 Instrument mics provided coverage across hats, rides and toms.

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15 November 2024

UK - Coda Audio has announced the completion of its premium and versatile HOPS-Pro range, with the launch of the new HOPS10-Pro. The HOPS10-Pro has been designed in two versions - HOPS10T-Pro for touring and HOPS10i-Pro for installation.

The HOPS10-Pro is a high output three-way point source loudspeaker with an advanced triaxial design, featuring dual 10” neodymium ultra-low distortion cone drivers, and LF drivers to provide power and accuracy across low frequencies, and a 1.4” coaxial neodymium mid/high driver in a compact enclosure. This alignment of the acoustic centres ensures a perfectly coherent and uniform wavefront.

Complementing CODA Audio’s existing HOPS7-Pro and HOPS12-Pro models, HOPS10-Pro completes the range to ensure that users have maximum flexibility in addressing the widest variety of applications.

HOPS-Pro Series prod

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15 November 2024

Switzerland - The EBL Elefantehuus (Elephant House) in Liestal is a one-of-a-kind, 300-capacity venue, hosting events, from jazz performances to comedy evenings. It was originally designed to house two huge, grey, elephant-shaped generators in the early 1900s, from which the building inherited its name. By the mid-1930s, the diesel-generators were usurped, and the building became an under-utilised storage space.

It remained over-looked and under-appreciated until owners EBL (Genossenschaft Elektra Baselland, the main local electricity provider) decided that the storage space should be included in scheduled upgrades, happening across the entire EBL campus.

In 2021, after initial discussions with the operator of the venue, Eric Rütsche of Kulturhotel Guggenheim, and Architect Pascal Epple of Otto Partner Architekten, WSDG were entrusted with the acous

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15 November 2024

USA - The Vine Theatre, a 1,600-seat live performance venue located within the Del Lago Resort and Casino, has upgraded its concert system to a completely installed 1 Sound system.
The decision to upgrade the audio system came in response to ongoing concerns regarding sound quality, system reliability, and the deteriorating condition of the previous self-powered line array system. Tom Knauss, principal consultant at NV5 Consultants, was brought in to review the current system and provide recommendations.

"The existing system had reached a point where many components were beyond repair, and the overall sound quality was suffering," said Knauss. “We initially received three rider-friendly proposals generally based on the replacement of the existing line array system with new line array components.”

Within NV5’s review of the three proposals,

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14 November 2024

UK - Production Park has announced its first major TV commission after Warp Films, Plan B and Matriarch Productions chose it as the production base for new Netflix drama, Adolescence.

The one-shot crime drama will be fronted by an A list cast including Stephen Graham (Boiling Point, Bodies), Ashley Walters (Top Boy) and Erin Doherty (The Crown). Produced by Sheffield-based Warp Films, Matriarch Productions and Plan B for Netflix, Adolescence tells the story of a family’s trauma when a 13-year-old is arrested for the murder of a teenage girl.

Warp used Production Park near Wakefield as the main base for cast and crew, who spent a total of six months on site over the summer. The Park’s newest stage Studio 005 is normally used for large-scale arena tour productions, but on this occasion became th

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14 November 2024

USA - Film composer Hans Zimmer brought his hit tour, Hans Zimmer Live, to North America this autumn with arena dates across the United States and Canada, supported by Orlando, Florida-based LMG Touring.

Audiences joined him on a journey through an array of scores from the multiple Academy Award- and Grammy-winner’s career, including Gladiator, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Dark Knight, Interstellar, The Lion King, The Last Samurai, and Dune. “I’m thrilled to return to perform in North America with my wonderful band and excited to share this phenomenal show,” Zimmer said on his tour’s website. “Ultimately, the music connects us all, and I promise you this: we will always play our best, straight from the heart.”

Helping Zimmer and company make that artistic connectio

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14 November 2024

Australia - Following the recent appointment of Audio Source as HH Audio’s distributor in Australia, the partners staged a two-day official launch event at Vision Studios, a rehearsal and recording facility in Perth.

The full range of HH Audio products were demonstrated to a range of audio specialists including system integrators, rental companies, retailers, installers, and contractors. Ian Wright, HH Audio global sales director for HH Electronics, offers an upbeat view:

“The event was a great success in what is acoustically a fantastic space. The team demonstrated the range to groups of visitors over the two days, rather than staging one big presentation, something which worked extremely well. I think we had 14 groups in total who were able to see all our products patched in and individually demoed or used in whatever combinations customers wan

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14 November 2024

UK - Recently opened in Oxford, leisure venue Gallery Bouldering was determined its audio system would not be a mountain to climb, and so turned to Optimal Audio’s commercial audio ecosystem to meet its various needs.

Gallery Bouldering’s facilities include a 100m expanse of bouldering wall and a dedicated gym space plus a café. Favouring background music during the day, of differing intensities by zone, there was a requirement for the audio to support the big-screen action during major sporting events.

Optimal Audio’s UK distributor, Audio-Technica, designed and installed a system to be in tune with the space, whatever the day held. On some days, the four zones of Gallery Bouldering – the wall, the gym, the café and the reception area – would all function as distinct areas with their own vibe and background music to suit, during the flow

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14 November 2024

The Netherlands - One of the more unusual venues that has recently been installed with a Martin Audio CDD sound solution is a hybrid wedding venue and town hall council chamber, situated in the municipality of Borsele.

Martin Audio partners and audio-visual specialists, FvL Audio, carried out the installation at the venue, known as ‘De Boerderij’ – a traditional-style, 100-year-old farmhouse.

Over the years, FvL owner Frank van Loenhout says his company has carried out multiple touchscreen installations in Borsele, which is located on a central location in the province of Zeeland. He has also undertaken numerous other upgrades in the neighbouring municipalities in the region “although mostly the audio systems were not as old as here!”

At De Boerderij, FvL Audio were tasked with replacing a 20-year-old ancient 100V line system. “Al

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14 November 2024

USA - Benedictine Military School, an all-male, Catholic preparatory day school for grades 9-12 in Savannah, Georgia, has a rich history. Established in 1902 as Benedictine College, it was organised on a military basis in the Southern military tradition of VMI and The Citadel.

The existing Modernist campus, completed in 1964, was designed to reflect the military heritage of the then-60-year-old school and uphold the monastic traditions of the nearly 1,500-year-old Order of St. Benedict. The school recently upgraded the audio system in their multi-purpose gymnasium by deploying amplifiers from LEA Professional.

The John A. McCarthy, Jr. Gymnasium is an important facility for the school's athletic programmes and events. It is also a focal point for fostering school spirit and community engagement. It hosts events that bring together students, faculty,

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13 November 2024

UK - The bang was provided by the starter’s pistol as the Day at the Races themed quiz night got underway. The DiGiCo quiz night is a celebration of hire companies and the communities they serve, with all proceeds from those attending going towards their two chosen charities, Backup Tech and Stagehand, the PSA’s benevolent fund.

The Quiz represents a chance for suppliers, hire companies, manufactures and businesses to get together in a relaxed environment to connect, do badly at quizzing and most importantly raise money. The evening was a complete success with £14,000 being shared between both charities.

On the night Backup was represented by Lee Dennison, trustee and vice chair, Scott Arnold, trustee, and Sarah James, PR, all raising awareness of the way that Backup can help industry professionals and their families.

“Backup

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13 November 2024

USA - North Carolina State University in Raleigh recently renovated the sound system at its Carter-Finley Stadium. Home to the university’s Division I football team and one of the top 80 largest stadiums in the United States, the nearly 57,000-seat stadium has been completely revamped to better reflect the energy and excitement of games, matches, graduations, and other large-scale events. 

The Carter-Finley Stadium required a modern audio system that could handle the scope of needs, as the previous system was outdated, unreliable, and unable to provide the sound clarity and control necessary. As the university embarked on a major scoreboard renovation, it was clear that the sound system required an equally significant overhaul. 

Allen & Heath played an important role in both the technology and services of the audio system replacement project,

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13 November 2024

UK - Glyndebourne opera house, best known for hosting an annual summer festival that is a cornerstone of the UK’s operatic calendar, has embraced Shure’s Axient Digital Wireless System for its 2024 season. The Glyndebourne Festival runs each year from May to August, followed by an autumn season of opera and concerts that puts rising stars centre stage.

The Axient Digital system at Glyndebourne serves multiple purposes, from facilitating communication during rehearsals to supporting high-quality recordings and broadcasts of productions. The system's flexibility has proven particularly valuable in Glyndebourne's repertory setting, enabling rapid redeployment of configurations between different productions.

To meet the complex audio demands of multiple simultaneous productions, Glyndebourne’s technical team turned to audio experts HD Pro Audio to