Italy - Following the extraordinary success of their summer tour, and after winning the 65th edition of the Sanremo Music Festival and representing Italy in the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest, Il Volo have given a long series of performances in Italy and abroad this year. Show designer Francesco De Cave, who was called upon by the production team to create a new show image, used Claypaky lights to illuminate the young tenors' world tour dates.

Piero Barone, Ignazio Boschetto and Gianluca Ginoble, just back from the success and excitement of their long Il Volo World Tour 2016, are now top stars of traditional Italian and international music, which they play with style and modern arrangements.

Francesco De Cave helped create new exciting atmospheres through a show lighting design he set up using a set of conventional lights, Claypaky moving lights, and some other special effec

USA - Roland has introduced its VR-4HD high-definition AV mixer, an easy-to-use, compact and portable AV mixer that integrates a digital audio mixer, video switcher, multi-viewer touchscreen and USB video/audio streaming interface into a standalone device.

"The VR-4HD is a portable live HD production solution ideal for schools, churches, council meetings, corporate events, sports, training, or any other live event," said Christian Delfino, vice-president of Product Management for the Roland Professional A/V Division. "Whether being used to produce an online broadcast, support a presentation or even as the hub for a multi-input teleconference system using standard online chat software, the VR-4HD's all-in-one hardware design and audio digital signal processing capabilities, including Auto-Mixing function, make it easy for a single operator to achieve professional results."

Germany - Fohhn Audio has announced the release of its new PT-70 loudspeaker system. Following a robust series of successful live tests - including concert sound reinforcement at the Rantastic in Baden-Baden, the 28th Ehinger Jazztage and a performance by Axel Rudi Pell in the Rockfabrik Ludwigsburg - this latest addition to the German manufacturer's Perform-Series is now shipping.

Like all Fohhn Perform-Series models, the PT-70 has been specially developed for concert sound and touring. The horn-loaded, passive, two-way speaker makes an ideal compact sound reinforcement system for concerts in halls, tents and clubs, or for town festivals and smaller open-air events. It also functions as a solid extension for larger line arrays or Beam Steering systems, as well as offering a multi-functional plug & play solution for the rental market.

The PT-70's unique selling point is it

Russia - Allen & Heath's dLive digital mixing system was selected to provide FOH and monitor mixing at the first Delta Jazz International festival hosted in Astrakhan, South Russia.

The three-day festival was an Italian-Russian collaboration involving the Astrakhan State Theatre of Opera and Ballet, Santa Cecilia Conservatory of Rome and the International Academy ARCO Foundation.

The dLive system employed at the festival comprised a S5000 Surface, DM48 MixRack and DX32 expander module, plus the new IP6 remote controllers. Monitor mixes were managed via a laptop loaded with the dLive Director control software. The rest of the PA system comprised Audio-Technica and Lewitt microphones, K-Array FOH speakers and QSC stage monitors.

Renowned Russian jazz and blues musicians, such as Sergey Manoukian, Pavel Chekmakovsky, Artem Fedorov, and the Yury Alperin's ensem

Switzerland - In the heart of the city of Meyrin, close to Geneva airport, the Forum de Meyrin is an important cultural centre. Its 700-seat theatre has just been refurbished with a new house PA system, featuring Nexo's Geo S12 and Geo M6 compact line arrays. These have been integrated with an existing Nexo audio inventory that has been built up over 22 years.

Designed by Frédéric Walder of ZAP Audio in conjunction with Jose Bouzas, head of the Forum's sound department, the new fixed system meets the varied demands of this busy venue, be they theatre, dance, music or opera. ZAP Audio has been working with the Forum de Meyrin since it opened in 1994, supplying the first sound reinforcement products (Nexo PS Series, LS Series subs), and then expanding and upgrading the PA specification in 2002.

In 2014, the Forum took the decision to install a line array system. A thre

Thailand - Considered to be one of the most beautiful temples in Thailand, Wat Tha Sung or The Glass Temple - so named because of its spectacular roof made from mirrors and crystals - is situated in Thailand's Uthai Thani province. The recent installation of a discreet L-Acoustics audio system in one of the temple complex's newer halls has ensured that it sounds as good as the original temple looks.

The original Wat Tha Sung temple dates back to the Ayutthaya period, which dates from 1351 to 1767. By the mid-1700s the temple was derelict, but in 1789 monk Luang Pho Yai restored it, with more buildings later added to the complex. It now has many pavilions with accommodation for meditation.

One of the newer main halls, Sala 12 Rai, has recently undergone extensive renovation in preparation for being renamed 100th Birthday of Pra Rachapromyan Cathedral. The update include

Britannia Row Productions has further consolidated its long-standing relationship with Turbosound, with the announcement of the purchase of 48 stacks of Flashlight at this year's PLASA Show. Brit Row took delivery of the Flashlight system at the end of September to help service their busy Autumn season and millennium projects, commencing with the Jamiroquai tour and MOBO Awards.

GAE Sales UK will no longer distribute GAE Loudspeakers in the UK. MD Peter Barnard was informed by Opal Audio Vertrieb, the holding company for GAE in Germany, that they had taken the decision as a result of a "conflict of interest." As a consequence, Barnard is in the process of changing the trading name of his company and, from November 1st, it will be known as EAG UK (European Audio Group UK). The new distribution arrangements for GAE in the UK are yet to be announced.

Dare Professional Audio has recently appointed Litton Lane Contracts as its distributor in Ireland. Litton Lane kicked off the distribution deal with an installation of Eclipse at Dublin's trendy Zanzibar. Further high profile contracts are pencilled in for Dare in Ireland.

In a return to the origins of the company, Lamba has set up KAM Accessories - a joint venture with Penn Fabrications - to market cables, rack accessories and connectors. It has already produced a cost-conscious price list, which includes widgets, as well as other mail-order-type items, not only from the Penn Fabrications range, but other established names such as Neutrik and Bulgin.

All corporate functions within Michigan-based EVI Audio will be relocated to Telex Communications headquarters in Minneapolis, Minnesota next year. Telex is planning a move to larger offices to provide space for the Speakers and Microphones Group, Electronics Group and Multimedia/Audio Communications of the Telex/EVI Audio corporate umbrella.

The 1999 Auditorium Acoustics Conference, organised by the Building Acoustics Group, will take place on October 22-24 in Manchester. The conference will review the changes in auditorium design over the century, consider current design and look forward to the future.

Federal Signal Ltd has won a £750,000 contract to design and systemise a combined PA and alarm management system for use on four drilling rigs. The company has based the system largely around its respected industry brands which include Akusta Aucams public address, the Akusta Audiocom digital intercom, the GL3 high specification explosion proof loudspeakers and the Extek range of specialist EX telephones purpose designed for use in hazardous environments.

The Lawn Tennis Association at the All England Tennis Club, Wimbledon, has recently completed a major upgrade of its facilities. RG Jones, who has already carried out public address installations at the courts themselves, won a competitive tender, meeting the criteria and specification set down by consultants, Building Design Partnership. A total of some 530 loudspeakers - around 400 of the new TOA 6W enclosed back CM-76 ceiling speaker - will be run in a 100V line reinforcement system, powered by a combination of 52 TOA VP-1060, VP-1120B and VP-1240B amplifiers, with YA-1000A 20kHz fault detection circuit modules

A consortium of Stage Electrics, VxLAN and Sound Dept have been working on the first phase sound reinforcement design at the new Welsh National Stadium in Cardiff, with the supply and installation of the public address system.Stage Electrics has been working as the principal installer of the PA system with Sound Dept sub-contracted to supply equipment only. Community speakers provide the backbone of the system with the front-end touch-screen control via a VxLAN digital fibre-optic network, fed to the outstations and then out to the AES-EBU inputs on the modular Crest CK Series amplifiers

As part of a programme to increase awareness of its range of products for the professional and aspiring DJ, Pioneer takes to the road with its new DJ Trailer for its first UK Roadshow.The trailer brings the complete range of Pioneer mixing equipment to its target audiences, giving professional and aspiring DJs the opportunity to test the equipment at first hand. Pioneer is also planning a series of promotional nights at leading venues.

A consortium of Stage Electrics, VxLAN and Sound Dept have been working on the first phase sound reinforcement design at the new Welsh National Stadium in Cardiff, with the supply and installation of the public address system.Stage Electrics has been working as the principal installer of the PA system with Sound Dept sub-contracted to supply equipment only. Community speakers provide the backbone of the system with the front-end touch-screen control via a VxLAN digital fibre-optic network, fed to the outstations and then out to the AES-EBU inputs on the modular Crest CK Series amplifiers.

The recently-completed Planet Hollywood in Dubai boasts the full Dare Eclipse Loudspeaker System, installed by Prestige Systems of Dubai. Other recent installs for Dare's loudspeaker products include Birmingham's new So Bar, the latest development in the city's fashionable Arcadian complex and three ice rinks for operator Planet Ice.

B&H Production Services Ltd is making new waves by expanding its operation and splitting the rental/show division and sales/installations into two separate companies - Sound by Design and Audiocom Southern. The company, a major Meyer user which has two qualified SIM II engineers on its staff, has just completed a four-week Arena Tour with Raymond Gubbay's production of Swan Lake.

Autograph Sales, has appointed Roger Harpum to the newly-created post of Meyer Sound product specialist. Harpum will be responsible for the sales and marketing of the Meyer Sound product range - distributed exclusively in the UK by Autograph Sales.

PA Company, System Sound & Light specified eight Midas consoles for this summer's BBC Proms in the Park. This was probably the largest ever gathering of Midas consoles for one event, which recently returned to London's Hyde Park for a fourth year. An exclusive open-air live concert, hosted by Terry Wogan, was followed by the live relay of the BBC's spectacular Last Night of the Proms finale from the Royal Albert Hall beamed direct to giant screens in the park. FOH three Midas Heritage 3000 consoles and one Midas XL200 were used, whilst backstage, a Midas XL4, two Midas Heritage 3000s and one Midas XL3 were used in the monitor position. BSS Soundweb and V-DOSC loudspeakers complemented the consoles.

EAW's new club sound system, The Avalon, has made its European debut in a newly-styled Waterford nightclub in the Irish Republic. The club has undergone a 1 million punt conversion of the 9,000sq.ft space into the Rhythm Room. Installers AVL supplied and installed the lighting and video in a contract worth 160,000 punts to them.

Sound Dept will benefit from the product experience of Steve Badham, who joins as EAW's new product manager. Based at the headquarters of EAW's UK distributors, Sound Dept in Abingdon, Badham's first challenge was the launch of Avalon, EAW's new club system; he will also be working with other pro ranges handled by Sound Dept, including Crest computerised control systems.

Musical equipment distributor John Hornby Skewes & Co Ltd, has launched a new live Web site at www.jhs.co.uk featuring full product details and information on the full range of instruments, amplification, pro audio equipment and accessories supplied by the company.

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