Audio Design Services has told PLASA Publishing that it has appointed Warren Morrow as commercial director. Morrow has 30 years’ experience in the audio industry, and will be known by many from his time at Altai Group, where he was responsible for sales of the Eagle brand. At Audio Design Services, his responsibilities will include expanding the company’s distribution network to address new markets.
At the Frankfurt MusikMesse (12-16 April), the export arm of Tannoy Professional has announced record sales for the first quarter of 2000, up 63% on the same period last year. This increase is attributed to key additions to the company's overseas distribution network, in addition to a focus on existing distributors giving Tannoy a solid base from which to trade worldwide. The most successful proucts have included the new i6AW 6.5" Dual Concentric all-weather sound reinforcement loudspeaker, which has been well received overseas. The T300, Tannoy's figurehead SuperDual full-range transportable loudspeaker, has also established itself as a best seller.
The latest addition to the Po Na Na chain, Reading's Fez Club, is the first Po Na Na establishment to offer live entertainment, and is also the first to feature a solely Turbsound sound reinforcement system. The re-vamped venue, formerly Alleycats, makes use of the the existing four stacks of Floodlight system serviced (comprising mid-highs and bass units), which Turbosound refurbished and redesigned, adding extra enclosures to create a powerful main system, with the installation carried out by Tarsin. The additional Turbosound units specified include 16 Turbosound TCS-30 enclosures feeding the intimate lower-level setting, supported by two TCS-215 front-loaded subwoofers. Two Impact 121 full-range loudspeakers provide the monitoring for the DJ and a further two TCS-40s create the delay around the main room. Two more TCS-40s provide the VIP area with a dedicated feed.
London-based Rossula Limited, the company behind the Lightfactor Sales and LightProcessor operations, has entered into a joint venture with German company Zeck Audio to form Zeck Audio UK Ltd, which will market the entire range of Zeck pro audio products throughout the British Isles, from its base in Greenford, West London. Rossula MD Mick Hannaford, comments: "This is an exciting opportunity to bring a unique and competitive range of innovative audio products to the UK. Our aim is to deliver the brand across the country through a small number of strategic distribution partners."Zeck products suit a broad range of professional applications from background and foreground sound reinforcement to touring and installation systems of all sizes. The range includes microphones, wireless systems, cables, connectors, mixing consoles, signal processors, amplifiers and a range of passive a
Jonny Ringo's, Ultimate Leisure's newest venue in Newcastle combines a two-storey café/bar/restaurant with cutting-edge Internet and satellite TV technology. Total Audio Solutions provided a zoned sound system for the venue, to complement the unique video and computer system being installed by Tyneside's Sound & Vision Network. The system is based around Sony's SRP-S900 full-range loudspeakers, SRP-B1000P subs and SRP-P26 power amps, and controlled by the new SRP-F300 digital audio processor, used to provide multiple audio zones, crossover functions, delay, EQ and limiting. S&VN's Brian Howells said: "We saw the F300 as a great advance for this type of installation, where there are no technical people around. We can just set the whole system up, program as many memories as the staff need, and lock it off."
SCV London has taken on the distribution of Universal Audio. A familiar brand in the 1960s, Universal's UREI 1176LN limiter was a feature of many major recording studios across Europe. Bill Putnam's classic designs are continued and improved by his sons, and the latest versions of the 1176LN and the Teletronix levelling amplifier LA-2A are now available from SCV.
Following a successful first year of trading, Nexo USA Inc has announced significant expansion plans and a corporate restructuring. David Solari, a well-respected figure in pro audio circles on both sides of the Atlantic, has been brought in to expand the management team in the new role of chief operating officer. Known for his success in building up the Meyer Sound brand, and for the subsequent development of amplifier manufacturer Cyberlogic, Solari also joins the main board of Nexo in the capacity of international marketing director. Jim Sides, Nexo's first corporate officer in the USA, has taken the position of executive vice-president of sales and marketing. As part of the restructuring, the company’s North American sales operations will relocate to premises in San Rafael, California.
Fostex has announced the launch of several new products. The VM88 is the company's first eight-channel digital mixer. Aimed at both live sound and recording applications, the VM88 offers 24-bit A/D and 20-bit D/A conversion, a 44.1 sampling rate and Fostex ASP (Advance Signal Processing). All channels have full three-band EQ, phantom power and individual inserts. The VF-16 is a new 16-track digital combined recorder/mixer with two built-in Fostex ASP digital effects. The unit has eight additional 'ghost tracks' for multiple takes. No compression is used in recording, and data is stored on its own internal E-IDE hard disk in Fostex's FDMS-3 format. Another first for the company is an active monitor - the NF-1A system. Bi-amped with two 60W amplifiers, the system incorporates a range of adjustable filters for different room characteristics. The system also includes an innovative woofer des
Saffron Walden-based Tannoy-Audix Systems has secured the contract to supply and commission the public address system on P&O's new Grand Class cruise ships - Grand Princess III and Grand Princess IV. The US$1.25m contract is the latest stage in a long-standing relationship between the two companies, and follows Tannoy-Audix's recent success in winning the PA and general alarm systems contracts for two luxury cruise liners being built in Mississippi for Classic Voyages. These ships, the largest ever built in the US, will each accommodate 1,900 passengers, and will begin service in 2003 and 2004.
Canford Audio has appointed Mike Reay as key account manager. In this role, Reay will have special responsibility for several Canford product lines, including the Totalsystems range of meters and amplifiers. He will also be taking over front-line responsibilities for Canford`s exclusive UK distributorships of the Intelix range of audio and video matrixing units and DK-Audio’s master stereo displays and matrixes. Formerly sales manager of EMO, Reay spent 10 years establishing the company as one of the UK’s leading pro audio manufacturers.
Bob Long has left Macclesfield-based Federal Signal Ltd, where he held the position of managing director. Before joining Federal Signal, Long was managing director of Akusta, a specialist in the provision of high-specification sound and communication systems to offshore drilling platforms. Following Federal’s acquisition of Akusta, Long took on the role of managing director of Federal Signal’s UK operation, which also incorporated Federal’s other UK acquisitions - Millbank and Delta Sound PA. Federal Signal has declined to comment on Long’s departure.
DJ Technology giant Numark has secured the distribution in the UK of Behringer's entire range of pro-audio studio equipment. Behringer will benefit from Numark's national dealer network, making the brand easily available across the country, as well as from an established technical back-up and sales support team, based at Numark's UK headquarters. The deal allows Numark to cater to the growing demands from DJs for advanced studio equipment ranging from digital signal processors, compressors and limiters through to parametric EQs and live mixing and studio consoles. Numark UK MD, Damon Crisp spoke to PLASA Publishing: "We are looking to develop into high specification installations, ranging from pre and post production suites, recording studios and late night venues to stadia."
TOA Corporation launched the H-Series of loudspeakers at the Frankfurt MusikMesse this month, aimed at any application requiring unobtrusive units to deliver targeted quality audio. The H-3 and H-3WP have been designed for easy installation at above head-height, directly onto a wall, from where they can deliver quality audio in a 180 degree coverage pattern, eliminating audio dead spaces. Unlike bracket-mounted box-type speakers, the H-3 and H-3WP feature audio with minimum out-of-phase reflection from walls. The grille surface of both units is paintable, and weatherproof H3WP models are available for exterior installations.
Following months of speculation, has come the news that the distribution of BST pro audio products into the UK marketplace has been changed. Acoustic Solutions Ltd has been awarded the exclusive distribution of the BST line for the UK and Ireland. To coincide with the move, the company has also appointed Simon Parslow, formerly the UK sales manager for Ultrak, the parent company of BST products. His role will see him developing the sales of all Acoustic Solutions products alongside BST to the independent retail sector.
Tannoy Professional has appointed a new distributor for the Republic of Ireland. The Entertainment Company (ETC) based in Swords, County Dublin, is now distributing Tannoy's entire range of pro audio sound reinforcement loudspeakers and electronic system controllers, including the new i5 AW ICT compact moulded speakers and the CMS110 BCE Active corner-mounted subwoofers.
QSC will introduce a new Digital Signal Processing accessory module at the NSCA Expo 2000 in Las Vegas, April 27-May 1. The compact module offers two channels of independent DSP and attaches to the back of most DataPort-equipped QSC amplifiers, without taking up additional rack space. Each channel handles a wide variety of DSP functions, including high- and low-pass crossover filters, high- and low-pass shelf filters, signal delay, compression, peak limiting, six parametric filters, two-to-one mixer, signal splitter and more. Other features include 24-bit, 48kHz converters, contact closures to trigger configuration presets, post-DSP output signal for daisy-chaining signal to other amplifier inputs, memory backup, and power and signal presence LED.
Avenger has released two new items for its Conductor and miniConductor show control systems. The first is a new driver designed for the BSS Soundweb which is being heavily used in conjunction with Avenger's Conductor at the Hannover Expo. The driver allows the Soundweb to perform fades when switching to another setting without the need for control from a PC running Soundweb software. Secondly, a new, slim eight-channel RS232-card has been added to the range of Conductor interface cards.
Pioneer has released the CMX-5000, an automatic-beat mixing twin-CD player for DJs. The CMX-5000 is similar to existing rack-mount CD player, but includes a number of developments. The CMX-5000 uses a sophisticated computer chip which analyses the beat of the music playing, adjusts the next track to match the beats per minute (BPM) and smoothly mixes one track into another. It also gives you a choice of four different blends and mix effects (standard cross-fade, cut, echo and zip). It can also auto beat mix seamlessly from any two tracks on the same CD. The CMX-5000 includes the features of the CDJ- 500 series, such as Master Tempo, Fader Start/Back Cue Play, seamless looping, re-looping, digital outs, super fast track search / track scan and a large jog dial. Another new feature is the transparent jog dial, which allows for a comprehensive data display behind each dial.
Sennheiser UK has started a student scholarship scheme at the National Film and Television School in Beaconsfield. The scholarship is for students studying the two-year NFTS Diploma and specialising in Screen Sound. The first award, which covers full payment of fees and an allowance towards living and travel expenses, has been made this year to Robert Bourke, a final year student from Dublin (pictured with Sennheiser UK managing director Paul Whiting). Sennheiser UK started a similar scheme in 1998 for students studying the BA degree in Sound Technology at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts.
Martin Audio has introduced the Screen 2/2P system, which is aimed at small cinemas, preview theatres, screening rooms and post-production suites, and accommodates the various digital formats of modern films. Martin say the Screen 2, which can be run either active or passive (2P), exhibits low distortion, wide bandwidth and uniform coverage. Designed to be run bi-amped, the system uses a single 15in (380mm) LF driver, reflex-loaded with a single horn-loaded 1" (25mm) HF unit.Martin has also introduced the Effect 3R, a two-way passive surround system suited to medium-sized cinemas, screening rooms and under-balcony applications. It features an 8" (200mm) bass driver and a 1" (25mm) HF unit mounted on a 90 x 90 degree waveguide which controls directivity above 2kHz. The Effect 3R has THX approval from Lucasfilm. Both products have already debuted at the new Warner Bros scree
BBM Electronics has announced that long-time Trantec director Chris Gilbert is to stand down from his position at the end of April, but will continue his involvement with the company in a consultancy role. As a consequence, Steve Bickford will take up the new position of sales and export manager, with Tim Riley taking on responsibility for marketing worldwide.
The International Audio Group has announced details of a senior management restructure which has seen the resignation of Stan Curtis from his position as chairman of IAG. Toshio Tamaki, previously president of the Sansui Electric Co, and more recently of Akai Electric Co, has been appointed as president of the Group. Appointed as sales and marketing director of IAG is Ryozo Takahashi. Promoted from the role of International sales manager within Wharfedale’s Pro Audio Division, Takahashi’s previous experience includes over 20 years in senior management at keyboard giant Korg. IAG say the moves are part of the on-going development and expansion of its consumer electronics programme.
As part of a £24million restoration programme to improve parliamentary procedures, the Houses of Parliament at Westminster have been equipped with the latest digital conference technology from Philips Communication, Security & Imaging. In use three days a week, MPs in the new chamber use the world's first entirely digital congress system which consists of 35 table-top Delegate Discussion Units using Philips Digital Congress Network. The system was installed by Westminster Sound Systems.
Gary Orrell has joined NXT, the company behind the Surface Sound flat panel loudspeaker technology. Orrell began his audio career with Wharfedale Loudspeakers some 15 years ago before leaving to set up a hi-fi manufacturing factory under the name of SG Acoustics Ltd which within 18 months was taken into the International Audio Group (IAG) with Orrell as CEO. He joins the company’s commercial audio division with a brief to identify new market opportunities. Also joining NXT is Geoff Boyd who will oversee the development of the SoundVu licensees. Boyd, who is from the Caribbean, is a Physics and Chemistry graduate of Leeds University with post-graduate and post-doctoral research experience in Material Science at Oxford University. He co-founded Memotech - a UK-based PC company and more recently has been involved in selling high technology display systems into Japan.
