Europe - French loudspeaker manufacturer, Focal, continues its push into the custom installation (CI) and commercial sectors by partnering with specialist AV distributor, CUK Group, to supply and support its full range of integration products in the UK. Focal's integration offering has expanded significantly in recent years, with the launch of the Littora outdoor and marine range, and the growth of its in-wall loudspeaker line, which now mirrors the performance levels of its hi-fi offering, through to the 1000 Series Utopia models, which feature signature Focal technologies such as 'W' composite cones and beryllium tweeters. Although the ink is still drying on the partnership agreement, there is already a wealth of Focal knowledge within CUK Group as CI channel manager, Phil Roe, explains: “In my previous life as an integrator, I have had the pleasure of demonstratin
UK - By 2027, more than 100m AA batteries will have been saved from landfills, according to Shure. The number is based on data calculations from customers worldwide in music production, theatre, touring, education, business, government, houses of worship, and more. With previous technology, disposable batteries were used to power microphones and transmitter packs. And audio engineers would frequently replace batteries – even when those batteries still had power – to ensure an uninterrupted performance with fresh batteries. However, new innovation from Shure has converted those products to rechargeable options, creating significantly less waste. In fact, for David’s Byrne’s American Utopia Broadway show, the monitor engineer estimated they saved about 21,000 AA batteries from being disposed of in landfills because they used Shure’s rechargeable system
UK - Loudspeaker manufacturer Funktion-One has welcomed Andrew Low as its new director of business development. Low joins the company from Solotech UK, having previously worked with Shure, HHB Communications and Audio Pro International. With over 15 years in the pro audio industry behind him, Low brings experience and expertise in both business development and marketing. He will initially work alongside Bill Woods, who is set to retire in June after 11 years with the company. Commenting on the appointment, Funktion-One’s Ann Andrews said: “We’re delighted that Andrew is joining the Funktion-One team as director of business development. We’ve known him since his Audio Media International days and have always kept in touch. He gets us - our ethos and approach – and really appreciates the impact great sound can have. In addition to his professional ski
Europe - Sony has announced the MDR-MV1 Reference Monitor Headphones, designed for professional sound engineers and music creators. The headphones combine sound quality with long-lasting wear and reliability. Their open back design enables accurate reproduction of a wide sound field, making them a suitable option for mixing and mastering immersive spatial sound, such as 360 Reality Audio, as well as stereo sound with hi-resolution capability, says Sony. “With the rise in spatial sound and high-quality streaming music services, we are seeing a demand for headphones that can adaptably address and enrich all of these immersive needs,” said James Leach, category head for connected content acquisition at Sony Europe. “Sony’s deep heritage in audio is on display with the introduction of the MDR-MV1, a flexible and stylish new option for home or studio use. The headphones p
South Africa - Cape Town-based Oakhill Church, formerly known as Durbanville Family Church, has invested in a Waves eMotion LV1 and DiGiGrid portable desk from DWR Distribution. The church was established 20 years ago by Louise and Lizette Du Piesanie and has become a place people call home. The volunteer-driven worship ministry is part of the glue that creates community, and Oakhill Music released its first single in 2022. Chris Truter is a software engineer and volunteer at Oakhill Church, and as part of the audio industry from a young age, he has always kept his eye on DiGiCo which is how he discovered Waves in the first place. For some years, Chris had been using Waves in his studio, but wanting to keep up with technology, he pitched the idea of Waves eMotion and received a resounding "yes" from everyone on the team. The church technical team, mostly volunteers, ar
UK - A celebration of Mike Oldfield’s landmark debut album Tubular Bells, the Tubular Bells 50th-anniversary tour has recently finished up its UK concert circuit. Released in 1973, Tubular Bells gained critical acclaim, going on to become the highest-selling instrumental album of all time following its use as the instantly recognisable soundtrack to The Exorcist. The concert tour, conducted and arranged by Oldfield’s long-term collaborator, Robin Smith, featured the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, who performed the entire album in sold-out venues across the UK in the Spring of 2023. A full EM Acoustics system, consisting of HALO and EMS series loudspeakers accompanied the tour and was deployed in a total of 32 venues over the course of two months. AV installation and rental company Show Works became involved in the project during the initia
USA - Having upgraded the MARC Theatre in Salt Lake City with a Martin Audio Wavefront Precision system in time for the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, cinema specialists DBPC again turned to the Martin Audio catalogue this year to find a solution for another of the event’s theatres. Due to the pandemic, 2023 marked the event’s first staging in front of a live audience since 2020, the year that DBPC was formed by Dan Beedy, a long-term member of the event’s technical crew (and latterly project manager), and another Sundance veteran, Ben VanDonkelaar. They have been tasked with systematically upgrading sound systems used in the event’s theatres to keep pace with the fast-moving advances of digital screen technology. While the Boston, MA-based specialists were tasked with fitting out all Sundance cinema spaces this year (working with Sundance Institute technical dir
Portugal - Europalco and Vallis Capital Partners have announced ‘a capital partnership’ between the two organisations. This partnership will allow Europalco to continue its growth, through regional expansion and business segments. This partnership is based on constant innovation and the introduction of new features in the market, which are already characteristics of how Europalco is viewed in the sector, says a joint statement. “The partnership with Vallis Capital Partners is a new stage in Europalco's development,” says Pedro Magalhães, founder and CEO of Europalco. “We will continue with the same identity and culture that characterises Europalco, offering our customers the most innovative solutions in terms of events and shows, allowing us to participate in projects of great dimension and renown nationwide and internationally. Investing in new technologies
UK - The Association of Motion Picture Sound (AMPS) has announced nominees in the final four categories of their 2023 awards: Television Drama; Factual Film; Production Hardware or Software Audio Product and Post-Production Hardware or Software Audio Product. Founded in 1989, AMPS is a UK-based craft guild made up of over 500 creative talents working in the field of sound for film, television and games. Now in their 10th year, the AMPS Awards are presented annually for excellence in sound and are voted on by the whole of the AMPS voting membership. “This year’s nominees exemplify what can be accomplished when sound craft and storytelling work in perfect harmony. Through their commitment to quality, they have created work that sets the highest standard of excellence in motion picture sound,” says Andrew Wilson, recently re-elected chair of AMPS The f
Italy - K-array has announced the promotion of Michele Rossi to area sales manager for the EMEA region. Rossi joined the company in 2016 working in the production and assembly department, before taking up the role of service manager. “As service manager, Michele played a crucial role in ensuring K-array's products were delivered and serviced to the highest standards,” says Alex Tatini, sales & marketing president at K-array. “His extensive technical knowledge and ability to build lasting relationships with customers has made him a valued member of the K-array team, and we look forward to seeing where this new role will take Michele and the K-array group.” In his new role, Rossi will be responsible for overseeing sales operations in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. He will work closely with K-array's existing network of distributors and resellers across
USA - Danley Sound Labs has announced the availability of a new line of amplifiers, the DSA Series that reduce energy consumption and ‘ensure consistent performance even under demanding conditions’. “Our customers were in need of an amplifier that fits well within the current Danley line-up but that offered slightly lower output levels and budget,” said Skip Welch, director of sales & marketing at Danley Sound Labs. “In addition to both our D and DNA series amplifiers, the new DSA series offers high-quality audio in a compact package with a unique feature set.” The Danley DSA series amplifiers are equipped with a variety of inputs, allowing them to easily integrate into a variety of systems. DSA series amplifiers are equipped with a built-in Wireless Access Point (WAP) for simple connection and configuration via WiFi as well as an easy-to-use web-based
USA - Audinate has announced the immediate availability of a new API available with Dante Domain Manager 1.5. The API allows service providers, integrators, software developers and OEMs to build Dante control and monitoring into management applications, control hardware, automation scripts, help desk solutions and software-based source switching, to name only a few examples. The API provides all the key functionality of Dante Controller. It can query Dante domains, devices, channels, and status, and can be used to change channel subscriptions or to add and remove devices from Dante domains. It allows for configuration of securely managed Dante AV-over-IP systems via third-party applications and products, enabling new capabilities and integrations for a wide variety of installations. The new API is built using the popular GraphQL query language for rapid development wit
USA - Building an oasis within an oasis is no easy feat, especially when you are constrained with tight deadlines. For integrator PAC Audio, it knew it had to meet high expectations when the company was brought in to install the audio system in a new high- rise apartment complex in Waikiki, Hawaii. To deliver a reliable and flexible system on budget and on time, PAC Audio took a chance on LEA Professional. Lilia Waikiki is a vibrant mixed-use development in the heart of Waikiki, one of Hawaii’s most well-known destinations for retail, lodging, dining and commercial entertainment. Opened in 2022, the 28-story residential tower features over 400 apartment units and over 40,000sq.ft of neighbourhood-serving retail. Pacific Audio & Communications (PAC) was brought in to supply audio intelligibility within the common spaces of the complex such as the entrance lobby,
Australia/USA - An epic adventure into art, Dalí Alive was a multisensory encounter with one of the most provocative and influential artists of the twentieth century. The production dynamically animated the works of Salvador Dalí, providing visitors with the sensation of stepping into the life of the surrealist Spanish master and feeling the redemptive power of his exotic imagination. The immersive exhibition was created and produced by Grande Experiences, Australia together with its first instalment at The Dalí Museum, St Petersburg, Florida. With over 13,000sq.ft with floor to ceiling projections two-storeys high, the digital gallery featured spatial audio technology and content created by Grande Experiences’ regular immersive audio partner aFX Global. Des O'Neill, co-founder and sound designer at aFX Global, described the soundscapes in Dalí Alive as be
Germany - At this year's Prolight+Sound, the Adam Hall Group will once again be represented with several stands. In addition to a stand featuring the extensive lighting solutions by the Cameo brand (Hall 12.1, B24), the event technology manufacturer headquartered in Neu-Anspach near Frankfurt, will also be represented with, among other things, a central networking space for all interested parties in Hall 12 (12.1, A24). In addition, the Adam Hall Group will be supporting the Experience Zone in the Performance + Production Hub in the Portalhaus (PH.VIA A08A) with audio and stand solutions from the LD Systems and Gravity brands. During the days of the fair, the Adam Hall Group will also open the doors of the Experience Centre in Neu-Anspach and surprise visitors with a surround experience co-produced with the Babelsberg Film Orchestra and Simple Minds producer Peter Walsh.
Germany - ETC will be returning to Frankfurt for Prolight+Sound 2023 with a showcase of the latest in lighting technology, stage machinery, product seminars and more. On stands C53 and C45 in Hall 12.0, ETC will present a selection of its newest entertainment fixtures and controls including the next generation of ETC’s automated framing luminaires: High End Systems Halcyon. This range consists of Halcyon Gold, Titanium, and Platinum, offering matching feature sets, colours, and increased output at a reduced cost. Visitors will also see the new ColorSource V family featuring both spot and fresnel fixtures. With many of the features from premiere fixtures at an accessible price point venues around the world are already excited by their possibilities. Having received much attention at the recent USITT Expo in St Louis, the newly launched Source 4WRD Color II will
USA - Part of the Southern Baptist Convention with 10,000 members, Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida is among the largest congregations in the region. Its main campus, one of two in the city, has always fielded a large contingent of musicians, vocalists, and praise leaders both onstage and on the main floor in front of the stage. Post-Covid, the orchestra and vocalists were spread out even wider at the front of the 3,300-seat auditorium, now split left and right on the 250-seat choir risers, with the band’s guitars, drums, and keyboards remaining onstage. The church’s in-ear monitoring system, already strained, simply couldn’t manage the new configuration. But KLANG could. In January, the church acquired and installed a pair of KLANG:vokal immersive in-ear monitor mixing systems and 14 KLANG:kontrollers, providing the church’s musical multitude with the high
Australia – Sydney-based Gameday Hire recently invested in a Green-GO digital intercom system for its outside broadcast facility as a cost-effective and robust solution for its range of projects throughout Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. The company is headed up by Australian broadcast industry veteran Andy Liell, who was searching for a communications system that was fully IP-based and offered world-class performance. Gameday Hire’s team travels across the region, often delivering outside broadcast (OB) technology in remote locations that required rock solid communications. Gameday Hire’s OB trailer was designed as a heavily IP-based facility, with extensive use of NDI and Dante based audio. The system architecture utilises distributed network nodes to enable vision, audio and comms to be connected over single fiber pairs. “When looking for
USA - Education is central to Meyer Sound’s mission, and the global programme is flourishing following a refresh this year offering new strategic partnerships, a robust schedule of in-person training classes, conference participation, and significant online content. “By reimagining the education programme here at Meyer Sound, we’re really investing in the future of the industry and the future of sound,” says training & education manager Robyn Bykofsky. The 2023 trainings and events schedule is designed with the goal of building a strong foundation of audio principles with practical applications such as the MAPP 3D system design and prediction tool and Spacemap Go, Meyer Sound’s spatial sound design and mixing tool. The company’s expert educators have provided mentorship for students and professionals alike. UC Irvine Sound Design MFA student Cost
Canada - Adamson has completed its strategic management initiative with key new hires and the return of Brock Adamson as CEO. Through challenging times in the pro audio industry, Adamson grew, invested in its manufacturing facilities and acquired audio technology firms BeSpline and Brain Modular. Those initiatives were paired with plans to strengthen the management team to offer best-in-class service, operations and brand awareness. Five new positions were created in preparation for Brock Adamson’s return as CEO. “I’ve lived and breathed Adamson from the very early days, to our most recent factory expansion in Port Perry, even as I brought in Marc Bertrand to focus on strengthening our sales infrastructure. Returning as CEO is energising and exciting. In 2022, we asked ourselves: ‘what is the ideal management team to fuel our continued growth?’ We’ve create
Europe - DirectOut and Lawo have announced that the modular Prodigy.MP and Prodigy.MC audio converters, which were recently on tour with Coldplay, are now fully integrated with Lawo’s HOME platform. In the HOME ecosystem, the Prodigy converters will benefit from instant IP discovery and registration, intuitive stream routing, device monitoring, diagnostics, parameter control and the security features offered by the HOME platform, all enabled through a single control API. One highly anticipated result is that the Prodigy’s parameters can be conveniently tweaked from an mc²-series console with built-in HOME functionality. Christian Struck, Lawo’s senior product manager audio production comments, “Especially in the performing arts and on live stages where audio recording and playback quality is critical, operators like to leverage the excellent sound of Pro
UK - In an online special event presentation, Martin Audio has announced nine new products including the portable series, FlexPoint, primarily targeting the premier rental market. FlexPoint systems deliver ‘quality sound to match the expectations of prestige venues and top-flight touring artists, while their passive two-way configuration heeds the need to reduce running costs and amplifier count’. Comprising five models - all with highly flexible deployment - the FlexPoint series covers a range of professional applications, from live sound reinforcement, theatre sound and corporate AV to distributed sound systems and immersive environments. From the miniature FP4 to the powerful FP15, FlexPoint loudspeakers are compact and discreet - providing ultimate clarity, detail and coverage at all sound levels without affecting sight lines or detracting from venue architectu
Sweden - Mobilelinks Europe AB deliver connectivity and transmission via satellite, fibre infrastructure and microwave. With a successful portfolio of productions spanning numerous international live sports events, news reports, video conferences and corporate events, Mobilelinks have a proven record of executing services reliably and cost effectively on a global scale. A recent Mobilelinks’ client was a large Nordic broadcaster, who required a solution to connect their various Nordic/European locations with both audio and intercom links to streamline their operations. Currently, Mobilelinks are in possession of nine EXBOX.RAV which work in this network, plus a further four EXBOXes that work as a MADI bridge to clients’ Ravenna/AES67 networks. The AES67 technology is also fully interoperable with equipment from Riedel and Lawo that is present in the network. The b
Romania - The hit Netflix series Wednesday, starring Jenna Ortega in the title role and directed by Tim Burton is shot, both in studio and on location, in Romania. Production sound mixer Liviu Lupsa brings the show dialogue in with his vast toolbox of Lectrosonics gear - SRc Series dual-channel receivers; VR Field modular receiver system; SMQV belt-pack transmitters; SMWB and SMDWB miniature wideband transmitters; HM and HMa plug-on transmitters; IFBT4 IFB transmitters; and IFBR1, IFBR1a, IFBR1b, and IFBR1c IFB receivers - for wireless mic and IFB systems. Buftea, about 20 km outside the capital city Bucharest, is the very definition of an “industry town.” It was a small village some 70 years ago when the communist government of Romania decided to build studios that would produce feature-length movies that were dense with propaganda. This studio complex woul
