Sweden / USA - ETAL Group is launching a high end Class D amplifier with a footprint less than a credit card at AES in Los Angeles (29 September - 1 October Booth 332). The premium Anaview AMS and popular high end ALC Class D power amplifiers will be featured at the event.

The new ETAL Anaview ALA Class D amplifier is based on patented ETAL audio engineering and magnetics and sets new standards of audio performance for products where form factor and power consumption are key constraints. With overall dimensions of just 68mm x 33mm x 18mm, the ETAL Anaview ALA series delivers 2 x 45Wrms into 6?. It can be powered by a single voltage of 12-25V DC making it easy to integrate.

Stefan Ruuth, sales manager at ETAL, said, "In terms of size-performance, the ALA is unmatched, delivering amazingly clean and room-filling sound from a very small module. We see this exceptional module

USA - Rachel Platten exploded onto the mainstream last year after her Fight Song ranked 6th in the US Billboard Hot 100 and reached the UK Top 10 Singles chart. Her label-debut album Wildfire then achieved gold status and to round things off, Stand by You, the second single from the album topped the Adult Pop Songs charts in February this year.

The Wildfire tour, has been utilizing a PRO2 at front of house, and a PRO2C at monitors, both with their own DL251 stage boxes. Illinois-based production company Sound Works Productions, were responsible for the package, and the two sound engineers taking care of it.

Production manager and Front of House engineer Chris Montgomery, has been hooked on Midas since a go on the Heritage console in 2007. "The MIDAS consoles have a sound about them...there's a warmth, and the preamps are super punchy. I haven't experie

USA - Nestled amid the towering peaks of the front range in Estes Park, Colorado and surrounded on three sides by Rocky Mountain National Park, the YMCA of the Rockies is as beautiful a place to have a conference, reunion, or getaway as one can find this side of the Pearly Gates.

And those conferences, reunions, or getaways need not be small by any stretch; the sprawling grounds include 900 lodging rooms and nearly 60 meeting rooms, including the 600-plus-seat Walter G. Reusch Auditorium. Recently, Sight and Sound Technologies (Colorado Springs, Colorado) replaced the auditorium's aging sound reinforcement system with new, crystal-clear, high-impact Danley Sound Labs loudspeakers and subwoofers.

"When I told her I was replacing a sound system at YMCA of the Rockies, my mom got excited because she had gone to camp there when she was young," said Kris Johnson, COO of Sight a

USA - Communications Design Associates, a Massachusetts-based consulting, design and integration firm, recently completed a major upgrade to the Boston Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC) in Boston.

The BCEC is the largest exhibition centre in New England, with over a half million square feet of exhibit space. The Communications Design Associates team quickly built out the 6,144-channel Audinate Dante network for the BCEC, to route voice and background music across 45 locations - significantly cutting cable and labour costs over the course of the project.

Communications Design Associates has transitioned to Audinate's Dante audio networking for the bulk of its AV integration projects, citing its tremendous scalability and low cost of ownership over analog and early-generation networking systems. "Every project I manage today is Dante," said Joe Patten, project design man

UK - Having delighted audiences since its debut in 1999, Mamma Mia! has embarked on its first ever UK tour with a KV2 Audio loudspeaker system.

As part of the creative team behind the original West End production, renowned sound designer Bobby Aitken decided to "Take a Chance on KV" for the tour.

Bobby's notable West End and Broadway credits include Dirty Dancing, We Will Rock You, Grease and Ghost amongst countless others and he was the sound designer for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the London 2012 Olympic / Paralympic Games as well as consultant for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics and the f 2016 Opening Ceremony in Rio.

Having heard about KV2's rising reputation in Theatre Bobby and his team visited the main Czech Republic factory to hear what all the talk was about.

Bobby reports, "The Mamma Mia! International Tour has

Germany - 2016 marked the 25th anniversary of Berlin's prestigious Classic Open Air Festival, which features five consecutive nights of live, open-air music in the heart of the city. Helping to mark the occasion were two Yamaha RIVAGE PM10 consoles, which mixed Front of House and monitors.

The Classic Open Air Festival (CoA) concerts take place in the city's Gendarmenmarkt, in front of the Konzerthaus and between the historic Deutscher Dom und Franz

UK - Martin Audio has announced the return of Robin Dibble as product support engineer and Bradley Watson to the role of EMEA sales manager.

Following the appointment of Dom Harter as managing director, Martin Audio has gone through a transformative period of improved organisation, process and control while at the same time launching CDD-LIVE! and now BlacklineX.

To support this revitalised sales growth, the timing was right to establish the roles of product support engineer and EMEA sales manager.

Dom Harter comments, "We are really building a future at Martin Audio, and with CDD-LIVE! shipping and BlacklineX just launched it is the right time to boost the team. Martin Audio's core customers know Robin well, I couldn't think of anyone better to further our credentials in the installation space given his knowledge, reputation and his understanding of Martin Audio produ

Europe - Shure has unveiled its SE215m+ Special Edition (SE215m+SPE) Sound Isolating Earphones, offering a truly integrated mobile communications performance in an exclusive white finish.

Designed for music enthusiasts using Apple iOS devices, the SE215m+SPE features a sleek, three-button communication pod that enables users to conveniently control device playback, volume, and sending/receiving of calls. It also includes a microphone for calls and voice control apps. The SE215m+SPE earphones ship with a detachable and replaceable Remote + Mic Accessory Cable, offering a unique combination of communication technology, durability, and sound quality.

"In today's on-the-go world, mobile communication functionality is a highly desired feature among customers," said Sean Sullivan, senior product manager at Shure. "With the SE215m+ SPE, we've added the convenient features of our

UK - Leading manufacturer Focusrite has presented an award to a Buckinghamshire New University BA (Hons) Audio and Music Production graduate for the quality of his work.

Mark Timms, 22, won the Focusrite Award for Best Music Production Recording 2016 and received it at his graduation ceremony at the Wycombe Swan theatre in High Wycombe.

The ambitious graduate was recognised for his dissertation work, based around binaural recording, a type of sound recording, and how it could be used to enhance horror films.

He said, "I built my own binaural recording head at home and spent a lot of my time in the studio experimenting and creating effects, then testing it to see if people enjoyed or were scared by this different way of recording."

Speaking about his career after graduating, Mark said: "I am currently working for the BBC as a boom operator on their medical drama

Argentina - Rock band Viejas Locas, completed their 20th anniversary tour travelling with an Allen & Heath dLive digital mixing system to venues including the 5000 capacity Salon Rock Sur in Buenos Aires.

Comprising an S5000 Surface and DM48 MixRack fitted with a Waves network card, dLive was selected by FOH engineer, Fernando Parra, who was trying the system for the first time.

"dLive's sound quality exceeded my expectations, the band and vocals were powerful and clear. The control surface is very friendly and the dual touchscreens allowed me to work very comfortably," explains Parra.

"The compressors are excellent, and the parallel compression option is very practical, plus the gate side chain path with filter makes a difference. The low latency is also surprising at 0,7ms, and the 128 channel strips, 64 buses with graphic equalizer, 16 FX racks, and 96kHz sample rat

The Netherlands - For the first time in Europe, Yamaha and Steinberg are showing their implementation of Dolby Atmoswith Nuendo and Nuage at IBC 2016 in Amsterdam this week.

The latest update to Yamaha's state-of-the-art Nuage hardware controller system has brought full support for Steinberg Nuendo 7.1, a fully-fledged post-production system supporting different immersive sound formats. Using the Nuage console and Dante-based audio hardware, a connection to Dolby's rendering and mastering unit allows for easy and flexible content creation for object-based cinema sound, bringing Nuage up to speed with today's fastest-growing immersive surround formats.

Yamaha is providing hands-on demonstrations of the system throughout IBC 2016, on Stand 8.A69.

(Jim Evans)

UK - No matter what your plan for PLASA 2016, d&b audiotechnik will be a brand that's hard to miss. From 18-20 September, visitors to London's Olympia will have access to the latest d&b products and lots of opportunity to engage with the d&b GB team.

Newly appointed d&b sales partner SFL Group, on stand V60, will feature the d&b DS10 Audio network bridge among other points of interest from the d&b portfolio, and of course offer visitors the chance to meet the experts from their team.

d&b sales partner SSE/Wigwam, at stand J20, will be providing hands on introductions to d&b NoizCalc, the far field noise immission modelling software and the new QSC plug-in Q-SYS. NoizCalc is also up for a PLASA Award for Innovation.

d&b GB is playing key roles in a number of new attractions this year. The DS10 will be a focus of attention during the Dante Event on Tuesday 20 September f

UK - KLANG:technologies, the designer and manufacturer of its 3D in-ear monitoring system, is participating in The Exploratorium at PLASA in partnership with its UK distributor, HD Pro Audio.

KLANG:technologies's 3D IEM processing is billed as the next major step in the evolution of stage monitoring. Multiple musicians are able to control their own mix with standard touch-screen tablet devices whilst the revolutionary effect of the 3D processing brings greater separation, clarity and, more importantly, reality, to their personal mix.

HD Pro Audio sales director, Andy Huffer, explains, "The concept of The Exploratorium immediately appealed to us in its inventive approach to showing new technologies in an interactive, informative and entertaining way. KLANG's 3D IEM is leading edge, so requires engineers and performers to hear it to appreciate the significant advance it repr

UK - Since making their first investment in Powersoft's X Series amplifier technology earlier this year Orbital Sound has seen them graduate from driving the sound during the pantomime season to full touring duty on the hit musical, Chicago, where they have partnered with the company's new Flare Audio X2 Compact Vertical Point Source Array loudspeaker system.

Chicago has been touring provincial theatres for the first time in four years, and according to Orbital director of sales, Andy Simmons, it has proved a compelling combination. The system was specified by leading theatre sound designer Rick Clarke, who passed away so tragically last month, and whose association with the production dates all the way back to 1998.

Orbital's new Powersoft X8 8-channel amplifiers provide the touring production with 32 channels of amplification in just 8U, and Rick commented

USA - The Audio Engineering Society (AES) East Coast convention in 2017 will be co-located with NAB Show New York at the Javits Convention Centre in New York City, event organizers have announced.

The AES annual fall USA Convention will be held 18-21 October, 2017 and NAB Show New York will be held 18-19 October, 2017. The adjacent location of these events creates the most comprehensive and largest media and entertainment event held on the East Coast with over 600 exhibitors, say the organisers.

"Audio is the expertise of the AES, and NAB Show New York highlights expertise in video and content distribution. For today's media professionals, it makes perfect sense for these two events to take place side-by-side, complementing each other's missions, benefiting each other's memberships and increasing the opportunities for all attendees," said Bob Moses, executive director, Aud

Germany - Shure has been recognized as a 2016 Global Excellence Award winner by the Global Presence Alliance (GPA). As a reflection of the leading audio, visual, and UC manufacturers and vendors, the annual Global Excellence Awards honour the vendors that exhibit the highest level of commitment to delivering superior experiences to GPA members and global customers. Shure joined the GPA's Accredited Vendor Program in January 2016.

"As a newer member of the Accredited Vendor Program, we take enormous pride in this recognition, especially given our continued dedication to providing top-notch products and services worldwide," said Brian Woodland, senior director of global business development at Shure. "The alliance's focus on providing consistent, high-level services to its esteemed client roster aligns nicely with Shure's legacy of providing AV technology to our global customers

New Zealand - Specialists in sound, lighting, AV and live streaming, New Zealand's Lampros Sound, recently invested in a dLive digital mixing system to add to its hire stock. The new system comprises the flagship S7000 Surface and DM64 MixRack.

Based in Wellington, Lampros' warehouse contains a number of other mixers from the Allen & Heath range, including a GLD-112 digital mixer, an iLive-T112 Surface with iDR-64 MixRack, a Qu-16 compact digital mixer, and an assortment of ZED compact analogue mixers.

The new dLive system was purchased in preparation for the ARISE Conference, one of New Zealand's largest Christian gatherings, which hosts in excess of 6,000 attendees from 300 churches across New Zealand over the three-day event. Two additional dLive systems were sub-hired to supplement Lampros' stock for this event and provide a consistent user experience for the client.

UK - Martin Audio was in carnival mood, masquerading among the 70-plus exotic floats and sound stages through three miles of Notting Hill's streets, during the traditional August Bank Holiday event.

MLA partner LSH Events this year increased its activity level with Martin Audio's award-winning system, adding the highly influential Colours/TriniPosse float to that of their long-term client, the Flamingo Arts Carnival Charity.

"Colours saw the MLA Compact/MLA Mini rig we did last year and approached us to work with them this year - and provide wireless connectivity between the trucks," explained LSH Events project & logistics manager, Eli Saunders-Deutsch. "They are serious about their audio and wanted to move into line array technology."

He said that the event is becoming more competitive. "In the yard where we rig and on the road there were systems from other major com

The Netherlands - Lawo announced at this week's IBC in Amsterdam the appointment of L P Systems as its distributor for Poland.

"The selection and appointment of an appropriate partner for Lawo's rapidly expanding IP portfolio is a strategically critical process," comments Charles Rowden, Lawo's European sales director. "After thorough research and careful consideration, I'm delighted to confirm our partnership with L P Systems for Poland's increasingly sophisticated IP technology markets."

"We are confident that IP-based products will define the future landscape of broadcast technology investment," observes L P Systems director Jaroslaw Kierkowski. "And with Lawo's leading position in the industry, we relish this opportunity to work closely alongside one of the world leading brands."

(Jim Evans)

Poland - UK theatre, event and installed audio specialists Out Board has appointed Polsound as its new Polish distributor for the TiMax SoundHub audio showcontrol matrix and TiMax Tracker performer tracking systems.

The team at Polsound is headed up by sales & marketing director Pawe? Danikiewicz with dedicated support from TiMax application specialist, Krzysztof Polesi?ski, an experienced sound designer and systems engineer in his own right.

Polesi?ski stated, "TiMax is a totally unique sound automation system and it cannot be compared to anything else. At Polsound we understand TiMax SoundHub and TiMax Tracker, and how it will bring the best sound arrangements for our customers across Poland. I see a very promising future for the range with Polsound."

Out Board director Dave Haydon commented, "We are excited to welcome Polsound's support for TiMax in Poland, they hav

Fighting Talk - Culture minister Matt Hancock has pledged to improve access to the creative industries and build a stronger relationship between technology and culture, as he sets out his main priorities for the role. Hancock, who succeeded Ed Vaizey in the position in July, also said he would fight to ensure government support for arts and culture in his first keynote speech as minister.

Delivered in front of an audience of creative industry professionals, Hancock used his first speech to set out his three main priorities, which he described as "backing success, access and synthesis". After praising the creative industries as "absolutely central to our post-Brexit future", Hancock said he would "fight to ensure that the creative and digital industries are at the heart of this government's industrial strategy." The minister went on to pledge that creative sector tax reliefs wo

UK - Mark Sawyer has joined Matrix as a project manager. Having initially trained as a back of house op in a music studio, then moving his way into PA in 1995 as a warehouse casual, he worked his way up to become a senior project manager at Delta.

During Mark's time at Delta he project-managed some of their high profile projects including HM The Queen's 90th Birthday celebration at Windsor, Lumiere London as well as numerous high profile commemorative events in the UK and Europe. He was also part of the London 2012 & Glasgow 2014 Olympic/Commonwealth Games audio delivery team.

Mark has an extensive, varied and detailed knowledge of sound and intricate complex PA systems.

(Jim Evans)

World - The Shure SM58, the world's most popular microphone, has been a foundational and formidable part of live performance for more than 50 years. To celebrate and honour five decades of the renowned sound, design, and durability of this iconic mic, Shure is announcing the introduction of a 50th Anniversary model, along with a variety of initiatives to engage and inspire loyal SM58 fans of all ages around the world.

Planned activities include: charitable auction of specially-designed SM58 artist editions; a comprehensive, multi-lingual website packed with historical information, artist photos, videos, and fan stories; customer engagement activities, including the ability for fans to share their experiences and memorable moments on social media and through a video project submission

The SM58-50A Limited Edition microphone touts all of the award-winning characteristics and

Europe - Yamaha has announced that it will successively update Dante products to support the AES audio-over-IP interoperability standard, allowing Yamaha products equipped with Dante networking capability to communicate with Ravenna and other audio networks via AES67.

Beginning with the CL series digital mixing consoles, introduced in 2012, Yamaha has included Audinate's Dante audio networking solution in digital mixers, signal processors, power amplifiers and other pro audio devices, significantly contributing to the growth of audio networking throughout the industry. As of September 2016, a total of 24 Yamaha products offer Dante networking capability.

AES67 is an audio-over-IP interoperability standard established by the Audio Engineering Society (AES) in September 2013. The Ravenna network by ALC NetworX is AES67 compatible and upcoming AES67 compatibility has been ann

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