Spain - KV2’s Spanish distributor Letusa has staged the first ‘live’ demonstration of KV2’s much anticipated ES Series at the Pro Audio 2003 exhibition in Madrid. Letusa were first introduced to KV2 at this year’s NAMM show and were appointed distributor for Spain and Portugal at ProLight+Sound in Frankfurt. "We are very proud of having Letusa as the first KV2 Audio distributor in Europe, as their enthusiasm and support to us has been incredible since the first meeting at the NAMM Show," says Alex Pagliani, sales director for Europe, Middle East and Africa at KV2 Audio.

Under the rules of the ‘shoot out’ each company had three 12-minute segments throughout the day, with no time allowed to tweak the boxes. Fortunately, KV2’s ‘Audio Twins’ were on hand in the shape of Andy Austin Brown and Jonathan Reece-Farren.

UK - Phil Anderson at Wave AV has put Wharfedale Force 1LT loudspeakers at the heart of a sound system blueprint for newly restored, authentic country-style pubs which are part of an expanding investment programme undertaken by Hall & Woodhouse.

These sites are located all along the South Coast/M4 corridor, from Somerset to Dorset and across to Sussex. All the pubs share the design concept, the same food and drink menus, and are equipped with identical entertainment systems, which only change in respect of the quantity of equipment used.

Wave AV's template for the sound uses typically a dozen Wharfedale Force 1LT wall-mounted cabinets in 100V line mode, controlled by a Cloud 46/50 integrated zone mixer/amplifer. Remote level control is accessible from the bar via Cloud RSL-6 plates. A Rolec PHD1 hard-disk music system is at the heart of the system as the musical source.

Wave

South Africa - South Africa’s Standard Bank Stars event on 29 March was an incentive awards evening held to honour employees throughout the country who are part of Standard Bank’s retail arm. Gearhouse South Africa was contracted by Jenny Lenahan Productions to provide the technical equipment and skills for the event, which took its theme from three decades of television and featured music, celebrities and television personalities from each of those eras.

Heading up the Gearhouse SA team was Ian Watts, who is operation’s manager of the Johannesburg branch’s audio-visual department. Ian was project manager of the Standard Bank Stars and comes with 15 years’ experience in the broadcast industry - at the SABC, and M-Net as well as Gearhouse Broadcast on an international basis. What made the Standard Bank Stars so unique was that the event took place si

Japan - The 1,300-capacity Anzu Hall Cultural Centre in Koshoku City has undergone a dynamic sound system refurbishment based around a QSC network and monitoring system. The multi-purpose Anzu Hall - situated inside the City Hall complex - hosts a wide variety of cultural events. Ueda JRC carried out the installation, supported by ComodoMattina Inc, QSC’s Japanese distributor. The company’s Takafumi Asahina says: "Originally, the client didn’t have a clear idea of what they wanted, and so we recommended QSC’s QSControl (pronounced Q’s Control) network audio control solution as being the most progressive way forward."

The QSControl remote management system, a RAVE Ethernet-based signal transport design, and CX Series amplifiers form the hub of the project. With four of QSC’s new ISIS 102W loudspeakers also commissioned for the task of

Germany - Leading German PA rental company, Crystal Sound, has invested in a 40-channel ML4000 from Allen & Heath for their hire stock. Crystal Sound purchased the console through ProAudio Marketing, Allen & Heath's German distributor.

"Our agenda was simple - we were looking for a console with a lot to offer. The ML4000 has many auxes and is flexible enough for our clients to use either FOH or as a monitor console," said Hanns Hommen, Crystal Sound's MD. He added: "We were convinced by the ML4000's technical data, variety of features, EQs and of course, the price! Comparatively, there is no serious alternative to the ML Series on the mixer market."

(Lee Baldock)

Russia - St Petersburg’s council chamber, situated within the city’s monumental Marrinsky Palace, has undergone a two-year renovation, including newly installed sound and video equipment. The ‘Grand Hall’, as the chamber is known, has the most problematic acoustics - a case in point being a reverberation time of around 3.5 seconds.

Ruton S, the Russian Electro-Voice distributor, was the firm entrusted with the responsibility of bringing the venerable 19th century hall into line with the high standards of modern communication, and one of the first tasks was to install a conference and voting system - of which the sound reinforcement system was a major part. After conducting simulations (using EV’s EAMS software), Ruton S decided on a set-up which not only offered excellent sound quality as well as compact dimensions and an elegant appearance. The sys

Europe - Sony Business Europe has announced the introduction of the UWP Series, a new range of affordable UHF synthesized wireless microphone systems that brings Sony’s audio quality and transmission stability to low-cost Electronic News Gathering (ENG), Electronic Field Production (EFP) and PA applications.

Commenting on the company’s move into new and competitive market sectors, Simon Beesley, European product manager, states: "The UWP Series represents a big step forward as it introduces Sony wireless options to customers we haven’t catered to before. Although specified for a cost conscious market, UWP clearly reflects the inherent quality of Sony wireless systems, based on years of professional experience."

Consisting of five core elements - a lavalier microphone and bodypack transmitter, a wireless handheld microphone, a portable tuner, a half-

UK - Following our news yesterday that LouMarc a new, pan-European pro audio marketing company had been established, we also have further details on Sonic8 Ltd - a new UK pro audio distribution company which will take on products from the installation, live, broadcast and recording sectors, and which was the first to sign a distribution agreement with LouMarc.

Centrally-based in Leeds, Sonic8 has a team of product specialists travelling up and down the UK ready to help in sales and support. The company has initially taken on the full range of products from German microphone manufacturer Brauner and CLM Dynamics, the innovative Scottish signal processing company. Sonic8 expects to announce the addition of three more companies to its portfolio within the coming weeks.

Sonic's managing director is Stephen Helm, an audio specialist with 12 years' experience in product distribution

Norway - D-PAC Audio of Denmark has appointed Micmo Lyd & Lys of Mo in Norway as sole A-dealer for the D-PAC range of products. A sales and rental company, Micmo has purchased 12 AS-2 subwoofers, six MP-152 multi-purpose 15" + 1.4" loudspeakers andfour MP-81 8"+1" multi-purpose speakers for their rental operation, with an option for six AM-2 mid/high cabinets and a number of AM-1/AS-1+ systems. A further two AS-2s and two AM-2s have been purchased for an installation.

Michael Christiansen, owner of Micmo, states: "I am very pleased to become sole A-dealer in Norway of D-PAC Audio. I know that long-term business relationships are crucial when dealing with top professional sound reinforcement products, and D-PAC Audio provides both, in terms of dedication to provide tomorrow’s technology and in a build quality that surpasses even other key suppliers

Russia - One of the more inspiring events on the international arts scene has been the re-opening of the Na Dubrovke Theater in Moscow, where most of the original cast of the musical ‘Nord Ost’ returned to the stage, just months after the theatre and its audience were ravaged by a Chechen terrorist attack.

Permanently housed in the Na Dubrovke Theater, Nord Ost had broken Russian theatrical records by playing to full houses for just over a year, when the hostage crisis occurred. More than 150 people died in the events of October 2002, including 17 cast members. These last few months have seen great uncertainty over the future of the production, but, finally, after substantial charitable donations and grants from the Kremlin, the show premiered to standing ovations from an audience that included most of the world's press, the Deputy PM of Russia, the Mayor of M

UK - As the exclusive UK distributor for Czech manufacturer - Cue, leaders in the design and manufacture of integrated multi-media remote control systems, beyerdynamic GB, has supplied Wentworth Golf Club with a sophisticated control system. Set in over 700 acres of beautiful rolling Surrey countryside, Wentworth is recognised as being much more than a Golf Club offering events and meetings facilities, a Health Club, Spa, and full banqueting for up to 280 guests.

As part of Wentworth’s first refurbishment phase, Legrand Electric Ltd specified the Cue lighting control system for its magnificent Ballroom, Hali-Burton room and The Masters room. Pivotal to the system design was the Assistant controller, specified by Legrand’s Mark Moody for its integrated control, aesthetics and competitive pricing.

Mark Moody explained: "We were introduced to CUE quite recently b

Ireland - Aquarius Sound & Lighting has been appointed as the exclusive distributor of Australian pro audio manufacturer ARX Systems’ products in Ireland. ARX’s managing director Colin Park told us: "We welcome Phil and Niall Connolly and his team at Aquarius to the ARX European Distribution Network. Phil Connolly and I wrapped up the distribution agreement at last month’s Frankfurt ProLight+Sound. They were excited by the new installation products we’ve been releasing over the past 12 months, and we’re certainly excited to have a company with the enthusiasm and reputation of Aquarius representing ARX in the growing Irish market."

Located just outside Dublin and now headed by managing director Niall Connolly, Aquarius Sound & Light was formed in the early 70s by Phil Connolly to service the then infant Irish nightclub and discotheque indus

UK - Marquee Audio is building up quite a reputation for kitting out municipal-owned, multi-purpose concert facilities in Hertfordshire. In the last few years they have provided cutting-edge sound systems for the Watersmeet in Rickmansworth and the Radlett Arts Centre. But it was their work at the high-profile Alban Arena in St. Albans that won them the recent contract to put a state-of-the-art system - based around new products from Tannoy and dbx - into the nearby Harpenden Public Halls.

As technical manager Dennis Paddison explained, both venues are administered by Leisure Connection Ltd on behalf of St Albans District Council. "Nevertheless Marquee still had to win a tender," reports Dennis. The old system in the 400-capacity halls, which were built in 1938, was well past its sell-by date. A trust was established when the major auditorium in the complex was renamed

Germany - German Music-TV Station,Viva and Sunday newspaper Bild am Sonntag, organized an event in Kiel's Atrium Disco-Club using the Station's Allen & Heath ML5000 console. 3000 guests were entertained with performances from famous German acts including the original German ‘Pop Idol’ bands, No Angels and BroSis and dance club legends, Scooter. Viva acquired the console through Allen & Heath's German distributor, ProAudio Marketing.

(Lee Baldock)

UK - There is something quite poetic about a conservatoire dedicated to creativity and artistic excellence, being built on the site of a former rubbish dump. This is the case with the recently opened Laban Centre in Deptford Creekside, South East London.

Laban is the world’s largest purpose-built contemporary dance centre, standing amidst a bleak environment of industrial sites as a beacon of creativity for the local community. Comparisons here with the Phoenix rising from the ashes are obvious, but apt.

Designed by Herzog and de Meuron, the prize-winning Swiss architects behind the Tate Modern, the building project cost around £20 million, primarily provided by capital Lottery funding. At the recent launch it was obvious that the building is a highly visible focus for the ongoing social and physical regeneration of Deptford and the surrounding areas.

Rudolf Laban, a

UK - Blue Microphones has entered into an agreement with Focusrite for the distribution of Blue products in the United Kingdom/Ireland beginning 1 April. Focusrite will be replacing Sonic Sales of the UK and will be headed up by Focusrite sales director Chris Gooddie and his management team. According to Blue owner Skipper Wise: "This distribution move is a natural progression of a tremendously successful co-operative marketing partnership that we've forged in the United States with the help of Dino Virella, national sales manager of Focusrite US."

Italy - Outline’s Doppia and Spectra enclosures were used recently for the Viareggio Carnival, one of the most famous and colourful Italian shows in the world, attended this year by over 100,000 people. Michele Brudaglio’s Sound Service rental firm, based in Pisa, fitted out a float - one of the most impressive - with the Outline sound system, achieving an enormous concentration of power and sound pressure in a small space, say Outline. The system consisted of Doppia and four Spectra enclosures, four Victor Live subwoofers and four Stackbass upper bass units, all powered by Series T digital power amps and controlled by Outline Genius 6 digital processors. Power came from a single power generator on the deck of the float.

(Lee Baldock)

USA - SoundField and Soundelux have come together as the microphone ‘Dream Team’. Surround sound mic manufacturer and distributor, SoundField, have taken on worldwide distribution, excluding the USA, of the critically acclaimed Soundelux range of valve and FET microphones.

Hand-built in Hollywood, with an uncompromising commitment to quality and workmanship, Soundelux have developed a comprehensive range of professional grade microphones. Such models as their ELUX 251, E47, U99 and IFET 7 recreate the sound attributes of the sought after vintage classics.

Pieter Schillebeeckx, SoundField International Sales, stated: "The Soundelux products don’t compete with any of our models. Our own SoundField multi-capsule technology is aimed firmly at the stereo and surround sound market, particularly in Broadcast. Soundelux’s popularity with so many high profi

USA - Mackie Designs Inc has announced that Syntrillium Software has made support available for Mackie Control in the latest version of their Cool Edit Pro audio editing software. With the release of version 2.1, Cool Edit Pro joins a growing family of leading digital audio workstations to support the Mackie Control including Cakewalk Sonar, Digidesign Pro Tools, Magix Samplitude, MOTU Digital Performer, RML Labs SAWStudio, as well as Steinberg Cubase SX, Cubase SL and Nuendo.

As with all other supporting software, Mackie offers a custom Cool Edit Pro-specific overlay for the Mackie Control's master section, indicating key software control functions for each button. The overlay dramatically reduces the learning curve for experienced Cool Edit Pro users, and helps make the transition from keyboard and mouse to the Mackie Control quick and easy. The Cool Edit Pro overlay currently

Brazil - The Jordan Ford Formula 1 racing team’s first Grand Prix win of this season’s F1 championship was aided by driver Giancarlo Fisichella’s custom-designed earpiece created by in-ear monitor pioneers Garwood. Fisichella wears a specially shaped earpiece, developed by Garwood, that maximises the intelligibility of radio instructions given by Jordan Ford’s technicians. Garwood founder Chrys Lindop explains that a unique solution was required to the acoustical problems encountered while racing at 200mph (322kph) or more.

"The communications systems in the cars," he says, "are designed primarily with two factors in mind: intelligibility and reliability. The outcome of a race might hang on a driver hearing an instruction or warning clearly and being able to react instantly to it."

Garwood used its unique version of dual driver techn

UK - SSE recently supplied Irish PA company Alan Nolan & Sons with a substantial Nexo Geo-S system for Irish star Daniel O’Donnell’s sold-out show at London’s Royal Albert Hall. SSE’s relationship with Alan Nolan (who supply all of Daniel O’Donnell’s shows) goes back many years, and they have always turned to SSE to rent systems for Daniel at the RAH. In the past the systems have been Nexo Alpha. This was the first time that the super-compact Geo-S system has been specified.

According to SSE’s Emma Barwell, Nolans were very impressed by Geo-S when they came over in January for a demo of both Geo-S and the new Geo-T. "While they’d always been very happy with the performance of the Alpha system, it does have quite a rock and roll profile, but Daniel isn’t really a rock and roll act, so when they saw the Geo-S, they were de

UK - The recently downsized S Club are out on the road again, as part of a major UK arena tour. Working with production director Chris Vaughan of CV Productions, LSD/Fourth Phase is providing the lighting (Pete Barnes is again LD), Britannia Row the sound (including an EAW line array speaker system and flown subs) and XL Video the video equipment. The sets were designed by Hattie Spice and the set construction was a collaboration between Brilliant Stages, Total Fabrications and Hangman Backdrops, whilst the spectacular inflatable for the cave scene was built by Air Artists.

The tour features an integrated show performed by both S Club Juniors and Seniors, with the Juniors’ high-action set kick-starting the evening’s entertainment. The live camera mix is directed by Blue Leach, working with an XL team of five. Leach was also involved in creating most of the Seniors&r

UK - To coincide with the imminent summer festival season, the Technical Focus section of the May issue of Lighting&Sound International magazine will be looking at the technology related to the development and use of mains distribution systems. An often overlooked area of entertainment technology, safe and efficient distribution systems are a fundamental part of any show. We will also assess some of the current standards and safety issues in this area, including work done by British Standards and the ABTT. This will be followed by a brief profile of the main manufacturers and coverage of a selection of their leading products in the marketplace.

If you would like your product to be featured in this report, please e-mail L&SI’s technical editor James Eade at the e-mail address below before Thursday 1 May, 2003.

(James Eade)

UK - As part of the re-structure of beyerdynamic GB’s expanding distribution operation, the company has welcomed on board Chris Hinds as specialist product manager. He will concentrate on developing the market share of ASL intercom products, Biamp, Renkus-Heinz and XTA across the installation, hire and live performance sectors.

Having spent over a decade in the sound reinforcement market, working as technical sales for loudspeaker manufacturer Turbosound and as operations manager for touring sound company GPA Hire, Hinds brings to beyerdynamic a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of contemporary market demands.

Commenting on his new position he enthused: "I’m delighted to be part of the beyer team. I’m looking forward to working with contractors, installers and rental companies nationwide to spearhead the use of this powerful product combinat

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