UK - Vision Systems recently revealed plans to extend early warning solutions by offering its Millbank voice alarm solution to new and existing VESDA smoke detection and ADPRO video security customers.

Gordon MacSween, managing director at Vision Systems, comments: "We are already market leaders in detecting threats with our VESDA range of very early warning smoke detectors and our ADPRO range of video security systems. Our next step will be to further integrate the Millbank voice response products to complement our offering by adding a response capability. This may be the automatic announcement of a staged evacuation in the event of a fire or preventing damage or loss by telling an intruder that they have been detected, police called and for them to leave the premises."

Neil Voce, sales and business development director for voice response systems at Vision Systems,

The Netherlands - Alcons Audio has introduced the new RBN1801 pro-ribbon driver - a new mid/high frequency transducer designed for high output and high fidelity sound reproduction applications. Based on the principles of Isophasic planar driver technology, the RBN1801 features an effective radiation length of 18" (46cm), offering power handling of 3kW (for 200ms, which is 10 times the industry standard, say Alcons Audio) and a high efficiency of 108dB with 1W @ 1m. With a 90° wave-guide, this efficiency rises to 110dB, say Alcons, with a frequency operating range of 1kHz - 20kHz (+/-3dB) and a maximum SPL of 145dB.

As a result of the symmetric 'push/pull' design, not only is the 1801 completely magnetically shielded, it also functions as a dipole cylindrical radiator. The mid/high frequency transducer features Alcons Audio's patented 'Real-90' dispersion, a unique develop

UK - Autograph Sales, continuing its longstanding relationship with some of the UK's leading sound rental outfits: Canegreen, Richard Nowell Sound Services (RNSS) and Sound by Design have in recent months been reinforcing their Meyer Sound loudspeaker stocks with the latest products.

Richard Nowell Sound Services is responsible for sound and communications throughout the South Bank Centre, while supplying additional systems to the various artists and events who play London's riverside venues. A Meyer Sound user for more than 20 years, RNSS added 700HPs, the ultra high-power sub woofer, to its inventory.

Meanwhile North London's Canegreen, continues to expand its extensive Meyer Sound stocks, also with the 700HPs. The first in the UK to purchase the product, Canegreen is really putting its new sub woofers to use, after several dates with The Corrs, they are now travelling the c

Europe - Audio-Technica Ltd (UK and Europe Division) has announced the promotion to its Board of Directors of Tony Cooper as UK sales director and Adrian Rooke, as European finance director. The company reports that this expansion of the Board of Directors comes towards the end of a year that has seen considerable growth of the company's structure. Other appointments to the Board of Directors of Audio-Technica UK Ltd include Toshiyuki Hatakenaka and Shigeru Uzawa, representing two manufacturing divisions of the Corporation in Japan.

On 1 April 2004, Audio-Technica UK assumed responsibility for all European distribution and completed a refurbishment and expansion of its Leeds-based office and warehouse facilities in June. To support this major expansion of European operations, new appointments during this year began in April, with that of Richard Garrido as European marketing and

USA> - Crown's Xs Series amplifiers are proving a solid, cost-effective choice for powering installed sound systems in houses of worship, the company reports. Jeff Gefke of Calvary Audio Ministry recently chose the Xs Series for Calvary Chapel churches in Visalia, California and Rio Grand, Texas, while another installation using Xs Series amps by Calvary Audio Ministry is currently underway in Oceanside, California.

The power range and versatility of the Xs Series makes it easy to match amplifier power to the requirements of the various loudspeakers used in an installation. For example, in Visalia, a single four-channel Xs 4300 and two Xs 700 amps power the JBL AE Series LCR system, with channels to spare for stage and side-fill monitors, and Xs 700 amps power the subs. Commenting on the performance of the system, Gefke said, "During the Grand Opening with over 1000 people

UK - London-based production company John Henry's Ltd (JHL) has updated its already substantial monitor system inventory with a major purchase of 40 QSC PowerLight PL236 amplifiers. QSC's distributor, Shure Distribution UK, filled the initial order and provided the product in newly commissioned monitor racks. JHL's special projects manager Pepin Clout said: "All our front-of-house amplifiers are QSC, so it made perfect sense to maintain that continuity. That said, we conducted an extensive market evaluation of all available product, which effectively confirmed our decision that QSC amplifiers continue to be our best investment, based on sonic transparency and performance, power-to-weight ratio, and reliability."

JHL is active not only in live television broadcasts, but are well-established in the concert touring, corporate, and showcase arenas, which places rigorous

Hong Kong - Hong Kong based Sound Projects agent Shalom AV recently supplied the sound equipment for a worship concert at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium for 2500 people. The 'Stream of Praise concert is performed by a famous Christian worship team that tours around Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan and the USA. Equipment used for the event comprised: Six SP-4 Diamond (Sound Projects' hybrid line array system) each side flown as line array, four SP-4-15 subwoofer, two SP-4 Diamond as front fill, two SP-2 as centre front fill and two SP-2 as side fills.

Shalom AV Technology successfully served the annual event for the seventh time this year and has already been asked to quote for several other projects because of the outstanding success of the event.

(Sarah Rushton-Read)

Canada - Adamson Systems Engineering has announced that effective January, 2005, Andreas Weingärtner will join DV2 (Adamson Support Europe) as the company's European sales manager. The appointment was made by Guy Vignet, managing director of Paris-based DV2.

"With Andy we won an extremely competent and enthusiastic salesman for this new position," said Vignet. "His experience and specifically, his expertize is relevant to loudspeaker technique and will certainly be beneficial to Adamson."

Weingärtner is well known to many in the pro audio business. Since the mid-'80s, he has worked with a number of established manufacturers and has built and extended his national and international connections within the field.

"I am very excited to be able to fulfill this position, particularly with regard to the Adamson brand," said Mr. Weingärtner. "Lo

UK - The Tussauds Group have purchased two HK Audio LUCAS 1000 self-powered active systems for use in the Ma Garrita's Bar feature, part of the new Splash Landings Hotel at the world famous Alton Towers Theme Park and entertainments complex.

The client declared themselves to be very satisfied with the quality and flexibility of their existing inventory of HK Audio active enclosures, in the form of Actor AT112A 400W 12"/1" mid-high and AT115S 400W 1 x 15" subs, which are relied on to provide high performance portable sound reinforcement solutions for a wide range of applications throughout the park, the impressive performance of these units meant that Alton Towers technical manager Simon Horsley immediately looked to HK Audio to fulfil Alton Towers' requirement for further systems.

Consequently, LUCAS 1000's were selected as the ideal choice, based on their abi

Australia - From humble beginnings as a meeting place for Italians in the Western suburbs of Sydney, Club Marconi now provides sporting, entertainment, educational and social services for a whole community of varying cultures and origins. The Club recently extended its facilities to include a 1050 capacity multi-purpose music venue - the Casa Nightclub - with an impressive sound system based around Allen & Heath's iDR DSP system.

A good sound system was high on the agenda for this new project, so Marconi appointed Sydney's leading AV contractor, Total Concept Projects (TCP), to manage the audio installation. The new music venue is a dual function auditorium, which is used as a nightclub and to stage concerts for the numerous high-profile local and international artists who perform at Club Marconi. The design brief consequently specified a split system that could be used equally

USA - Production Resource Group (PRG) provided a combined lighting, audio, and scenic solution for the latest tour of the popular rock band, Scorpions. PRG's service package includes a conventional lighting rig with Icon control system, a V-Dosc audio system with Midas consoles, and several scenic flats for the band's stage. All of the items were packaged together in PRG's Las Vegas operations depot, which contains a full-service scenic shop and over $50 million in lighting and audio equipment.

"Being able to prep and load all of the equipment and scenic elements from a single operations facility enabled us to respond quickly to the band's needs," stated Mark Coleman, a PRG account executive for the tour. "And by co-packing the items, we were able to save the band significant shipping costs."

The first portion of Scorpion's Unbreakable tour began on October

Europe - Tom Waits headed to Europe in November to play an eight-date sell-out tour. Monitor engineer Derek VanOrd, who was out with Waits for the first time, chose an InnovaSON 48-input console for use on stage.

VanOrd had first used an InnovaSON console on an 18-month tour with Ben Harper following a recommendation from US PA company Rat Sound. "It seems as if everything is going digital now and eventually you're going to have to make the jump," says VanOrd. "There was a month of band rehearsals prior to the Ben Harper tour so that was a great opportunity to learn to operate a new digital console."

Thanks to his intensive use of InnovaSON with Harper, VanOrd had no hesitation in specifying another board as monitor console for the Tom Waits tour. The console's small footprint, combined with onboard dynamics and EQ, perfectly suited the four venues Waits pl

UK - The Times London Film Festival, presented by the British Film Institute, is Europe's largest public film event. This year, the 48th annual festival attracted over 116,000 admissions, 280 of which were screened from 60 countries. In addition to an impressive roster of film premieres, many of which are introduced by the film's director, producer or stars, the extensive schedule of festival activities include prestigious opening and closing night galas, after-film VIP parties, industry and public forums, education events, lectures and celebrity interviews. Premier PR, who handles many of the film premiers and after-film parties, turned to Sound Division to provide sound and lighting effects for two high profile parties.

The first was for Chinese director, Zhang Yimou's latest film, House of Flying Daggers. The exclusive after-film party for 500 guests was hosted at Lon

Europe - Digigram has announced the appointment of five new European distributors. The company says its new partners will guarantee sales, consulting, and support for Digigram's entire product range (sound cards, networked audio devices including EtherSound products, and audio management software) in their respective vertical markets.

Apex n.v. (www.apex-audio.be), headquartered in Paal-Beringen, will serve the broadcast/MI and public address markets (installed sound and sound reinforcement) in Belgium and Luxembourg; the broadcast and MI markets in Bulgaria will be served by Techno Bulgaria (www.techno.bg), headquartered in Sofia; Naaden-based Media Utilities BV (www.media-utilities.nl) will look after the broadcast and MI markets in the Netherlands and Audio Media Professional AS (www.audio-media.no), headquartered in Oslo, will serve the broadcast and MI markets in Norway. F

UK - When the 26-lane Tenpin Bowl in Gloucester was gutted by fire almost a year ago, owners Tenpin Ltd saw the opportunity to upgrade the design template, and establish a blueprint for the future. The £4.2m multi-zone rebuild of the 500-capacity venue includes an American Pool area, Café Bar and three interlinked conference facilities - in addition to the lanes themselves. It operates from 10am until midnight seven days a week. And when Kevin Hughes' Technation (UK) Ltd successfully tendered for the sound and vision element of the rebuild, he decided to break from the company's traditional speaker brand and use Nexo PS 10s for the first time.

Hughes explains: "While I was familiar with the Nexo PS range I had never installed it before. I was determined to measure all the specs alongside the brand they had been using previously. I looked at dispersion pattern and SPLs, a

UK - A colour-matched Martin Audio architectural PA system has been specified and fitted in the new Riverfront Theatre in Newport. Containing a 493-seat main auditorium and 150-seat studio theatre, gallery and conference facilities, the audio installation work in the arts complex was undertaken by AJS Theatre Services, working to a tender document produced by Carr & Angier to a sound system design by Peter Mapp.

AJS followed the formula they had established so successfully with the similarly-configured Brindley Arts Centre in Runcorn (where Carr & Angier were again the consultants). "Martin Audio is our preferred loudspeaker for an installation such as this," confirmed AJS project manager, Chris Coates. "It produces good quality sound - crisp and round - and is perfect for this kind of environment. On top of that the support we receive from Martin Audio has been

UK - Leading corporate audio specialist Audio Alliance has become one of the first rental companies in the UK to buy the new Meyer Sound SIM 3 audio analyser system. Director Oliver Driver has until now been hiring its predecessor, the award-winning SIM II, since becoming a qualified SIM engineer nearly two years ago. As SIM 3 offers increased power and added features, at a fraction of the original size and cost, it was an easy decision to upgrade, says Driver.

Being so simple to set up and operate with such fast response times, SIM 3 is ideally suited to Audio Alliance's style of business - short-term turn around projects. Driver says: "Although many of our clients may not necessarily understand SIM 3, they are all intrigued and extremely impressed when they watch what it can do and how it seems to SEE sound!"

Soon after arriving at Audio Alliance's Manchester wa

UK - Newtown-based sound specialists, Sound Induction Systems (SIS), has completed two installations which combine Sennheiser SDC 3000 digital conference and Sennheiser IR systems. The first system was for Monitor Facilities Management at Monmouthshire County Council and the second for the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority HQ in Brecon.

Monmouthshire County Council assessed a number of other systems before arranging a demonstration of the SDC 3000 system with SIS and Sennheiser's John Willett. "In the end," said Phil Nicholes of SIS, "there were two deciding factors, clarity of sound and simplicity of use". The system supplied was an SDC 3000 with 57 delegate units and, as the installation is for permanent use, all wiring is concealed. In addition to the delegate mics, two Sennheiser evolution wireless systems also feed into the system for use in present

UK - Chatham's Central Theatre has enlisted Marquee Audio to upgrade its PA system as part of the first phase of a number of technical upgrades for the venue. The managers at the Central saw Marquee and the Turbosound PA as a winning combination, having had the opportunity to evaluate the merits of different systems, brought in by various touring production crews, at first hand. Technical manager Chris Stevens said: "These days we get a lot of musical shows, amateur productions of musicals and '70s bands coming through and so we needed a flexible, essentially rock 'n' roll PA. We had been exposed to a lot of Turbosound systems, which deliver a good sound, and when we were ready to upgrade the old system, one of the visiting sound engineers recommended that we include Marquee Audio in our list of companies."

The managers had devised a 'wish list' which included a healt

USA / China - Loud Technologies, in cooperation with Amoi Electronics, has opened a new distribution and sales office headquartered in Shanghai, China. This office will manage the distribution of Mackie, EAW, EAW Commercial, Tapco and SIA branded professional audio products throughout China.

"The establishment of Loud China will allow us to better leverage our highly complementary professional audio brands throughout this expansive market," commented Loud Technologies director of international sales, Dave Christenson. "With the Mackie, EAW, EAW Commercial and TAPCO product ranges at their disposal, the Loud China office will have the ability to service a broad range of professional audio markets, from individual musicians to large-scale commercial installations and Chinese government ministries."

Loud China has already established a key alliance with Jing

UAE - tsg, the Chesterfield-based media programming and installation company has completed its most demanding music profiling assignment to date, after candyrock, the media programming arm of tsg, was tasked with providing themed background music to 40 separate locations within the Madinat Jumeirah Hotel in Dubai.

Set in the shadows of the world-renowned Burj Al Arab, on the Jumeirah beachfront, the Madinat Jumeirah is a development of grand scale, even by Dubai standards, and on completion will be a self-contained city covering a 40-hectare site with two grand boutique hotels - each comprising 300 guest rooms and suites, 340 guest rooms in stand-alone courtyard villas, a souk-style retail complex and the region's largest conference and banqueting facilities - together with a 500-seat theatre, a spa and a nightclub.

With nearly 100 audio zones and eight processor locations t

UK - Turbosound reports that London-based Audio-Tek International has completed a variety of bar, club and corporate installations using Turbosound's TXD, QLight and Impact systems. Audio-Tek International's recent projects have included Birmingham club venue Air - home of Godskitchen; the Hard Rock Café in Manchester; and the brand's Hard Rock Bar in Bristol, plus the Anam Bar in north London.

At Air in Birmingham, Audio-Tek has installed six Qlight TQ-440 units, along with four THL-828 bass enclosures and TXD-151 systems, while Bristol's Hard Rock Bar features TXD-121 and TSB-110 loudspeakers. As part of a new mezzanine-level development, Manchester's Hard Rock Caférequired a new audio system to provide a medium-level wash throughout the area, with Audio-Tek installing 12 diminutive Impact 50 loudspeakers for the purpose. The company's installation at the very stylish Anam

Italy - From 11-14 November 2004, the beautiful setting of the Verdi Theatre and the exclusive Caffè Pedrocchi hosted the seventh edition of the Padua Porsche Jazz Festival, one of the most prestigious Jazz festivals in Italy. The event attracted top artists on the Italian and international jazz scenes.

Outline sound reinforcement systems were chosen for the entire festival. The floor-stacked Butterfly Vertical Line Array at the Verdi Theatre consisted of 10 high-packs and two low-packs, processed by two Lake Contours, controlled via wireless tablet PC; amplification was from Outline's Series T amps. Two Stage 15 Plus and two Victor Live subwoofers covered the front rows of the audience, and eight H.A.R.D. 212 monitor wedges were used on stage. In this case, digital control was courtesy of Genius 6 processors, and amplification was once again Series T.

At the Caffè Pedro

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