UK - Bosch Security Systems has appointed Jeremy Hockham as MD of its UK operations. Based at the main Bosch HQ facility in Denham, Hockham brings a successful track record of over 15 years in general management, and extensive experience in the security industry: he was previously international MD for Honeywell Security Group, responsible for all international operations outside the US including UK, Europe and Asia for several years.

His new role at Bosch is to build on the well-established values of the Bosch brand name for quality of products, services and technology and to accelerate Bosch's growth as one of the big four security companies in the UK. "Bosch Security Systems is renowned not only for the quality of its products and support but also for its long-term investment and commitment to the security market and its customers," said Jeremy Hockham.

Jeremy Hock

UK - With the opening of Apt, late night entertainment specialists, Urbium plc has introduced a new lounge, bar and club concept to the City of London. Situated between Bank and Mansion House station, the new construction boasts a chic interior, and reflects the intention of Urbium to develop further in London's square mile, alongside its firmly-established West End units.

One of the venue's more creative features is the inspired use of Boolean logic, introduced to them by sound installation company Green-I, and featured in the new Soundweb London digital signal processing product range.

Faced with a 540-capacity venues, trading on two floors - with sound sources varying between a Rolec hard disk music manager and conventional DJ set-up - Green-I demonstrated how Soundweb London could either combine or separate the atmospheres in the two environments.

Ceiling speakers, reces

UK - EM Acoustics distributor Autograph Sales reports that the British-designed loudspeaker is continuing to make its mark up and down the country. A relative newcomer to the pro audio scene, the EM Acoustics range is impressing installers, sound designers and consultants alike in the demanding installation market, say Autograph.

London-based system installation and music production company Electracoustic specified EM Acoustics loudspeakers and custom rigging from Autograph Sales as part of a complete sound system supplied and installed at Chak 89, a brand new multi-purpose venue opening in Mitcham this month. Chak 89 will cater for all occasions, especially serving the local Asian community. The venue's sound system design had to be versatile enough to accommodate DJs, parties, ceremonies, live bands, cinema and conference. Electracoustic's Jon Trotter chose EM Acoustics as a h

UK - FX Rentals has once again played a major role in the annual Nokia Urban Music Festival with The Prince's Trust, a two-day event held at London¹s Earls Court in April. FX provided all equipment for the Nokia DJ Workshop, supplying a Soundcraft K3 40 channel console, 15 Vestax Mixers and 30 Technics SL1210 turntables. Here, wanna-be DJs as young as eight years old were able to try out their skills on the decks, assisted by DJs including Mr Thing, DJ Skully and Ritchie Rufftone.

All the audio channels from the 15 DJ systems were fed into the Soundcraft so individual stereo channels could be solo'd at any time and fed through the main PA system. This was also provided by FX and comprised four Mackie SRM 450 self powered speakers with four HZ PB400 sub bass units. FX also provided two Mackie SRM450 speakers, a Mackie 1202VLZ mixer, a Denon CD player and a Shure SM58 mic for the

UK - One of the world's most famous cathedrals, St. Paul's in London, has recently completed a significant audio upgrade, which has included the replacing of all its existing amplification with QSC's ISA 300T amps. Noted architect Sir Christopher Wren designed the church on a six-acre site after the great fire of 1666 destroyed the original church.

The cathedral's long-time audio contractors, RG Jones Sound Engineering Ltd., proposed QSC amplification based on an extensive system survey by Arup Acoustics' consultant Sam Wise. Wise had recommended that the overall set up required increased headroom and greater sonic clarity to better reach the cathedral's congregations of up to 2,600 people. RG Jones, in turn, recommended the QSC solution, partly due to its familiarity with the products' reliability, but primarily because, "it has a true 100V line-isolated transformer output

UK - The University of Portsmouth is responding to diversification in the music industry by developing a course in computational sound. The new MSc Creative and Computational Sound degree meets the growing demand for 'sound specialists' who may go on to produce sound for mobiles, computers, telephones, multimedia sound tracks and the entertainment industry.

Liz Dobson, senior lecturer in the Department of Creative Technologies said: "Students will develop skills for programming sound synthesis, creating interactive sound systems and devising sound and audio systems for a wide range of applications such as computing audio, installation sound, computer games and film. In addition they will be able to conduct their own research into sound by joining the University's new Son-X research group."

The launch of the course has led to significant investment in computing resour

USA - QSC Audio Products Inc has appointed Joe Etrick to the position of Systems Specialist, Installed Sound. In his new role, Etrick's main focus will be to provide sales andtechnical support of QSC's loudspeaker and digital networking products as they relate to complete system packages. In addition, he will be on hand for EASE software data modelling for any dealers or installers requiring technical assistance for system installations.

Before joining QSC, Etrick was a Manufacturers' Representative with TroutFarm Technical Sales, QSC's Northern California rep firm. His position consisted of sales and technical support for the 15 lines of professional audio and video products TroutFarm represents. Etrick's resume spans nearly four decades, and includes radio and television broadcast engineering, retail audio and video sales, and commercial audio and video contracting. He is a me

UK - At a meeting held on 28 April at the HQ of London-based sound company Orbital, founder members of BEIRG - the British Entertainment Industry Radio Group - identified the need and confirmed the intention to appoint a consultant. His or her job will be to collate the RF requirements of the Production, Broadcast, Theatre and Film-making industries with a mind to presenting to Ofcom the industry's case for continued access to workable, clean RF spectrum. In addition to BEIRG members, Peter Roberts of SOLT - the Society Of London Theatres - was also present at the meeting.

The group has been formed as a non-profit making trade association to address the issues arising from the potential sell-off of RF spectrum currently used in the above-mentioned industries on a daily basis. Should the spectrum be sold off to other parties, the effect for these industries could be catastrophic,

The Netherlands / Belgium - Switchcraft has strengthened its international representation by appointing Amsterdam based Audiopro Distribution to stock and supply its connectors, audio and video patchbays and cable assemblies to the broadcast and professional audio markets in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.

Stephen Waldron, Switchcraft's director of international sales, said: "Audiopro Distribution is a well established supplier within its market place and we are very pleased to enter this new relationship that will increase the availability of our products and introduce the Switchcraft range to new customers."

(Lee Baldock)

UK - Leading RF manufacturer Trantec will launch its S6000HTX handheld transmitter at the ABTT Theatre Show (15-16 June, Royal Horticultural Halls, London). Designed for use exclusively with Trantec's international award-winning S6000 wireless radio microphone system and its sister products - the S6001 and S6002, it has been engineered to the highest specifications at Trantec's south London based HQ.

Perfectly complementing the S6000's unique advanced systems' design, the HTX is a high quality frequency agile handheld transmitter that boasts a brand new ergonomic design. Aimed at the professional user, the HTX will be offering a variety of inter-changeable capsules in the near future - dynamic, condenser, omni or cardioid. This will augment the systems' potential, as a very versatile tool across a variety of application environments, including live, theatre, broadcast and AV app

USA - Used by the likes of Elvis Presley, Martin Luther King Jr, successful sound technicians, and all US Presidents since Lyndon Johnson, industry leader Shure Inc has enjoyed an 80-year history at the forefront of the professional audio industry. Today, however, the company celebrates an important new milestone: the one-year anniversary of its Personal Audio Business Unit (PABU), a division of Shure specifically designed to put professional-grade audio products into the hands of consumers.

Driven by the early success of its award-winning E Series line of sound isolating earphones and QuietSpot mobile headsets, over the past year Shure has become synonymous in the consumer electronics industry with top-of-the-line audio accessories. These products marry Shure's deep professional roots with a keen understanding of the influences driving consumer demand. Shure's early acknowledge

UK - Brähler ICS UK Limited, working with AV installation specialist Willow SoundVision, has completed the installation of a new integrated discussion and voting system in the main council chamber at Northampton Borough Council. To bring the chamber up to 21st century standards, Brähler supplied its standard microphone and electronic voting system, built around their reliable stalwart CDS-200 conference management system. The flexibility of the system is further enhanced by the power of Brähler's CDS-VAN virtual audio network, a DSP-based audio processing environment.

The DV200 delegate units incorporate voting buttons, microphone, ChipCard reader and loudspeaker for voice-raising, while the Chairman's unit includes a priority button for remote control of speaking rights. The units are portable and can easily be moved to various locations, depending on the layout of the room.

UK - London's Richmond Studios recorded the soundtrack of Kylie's spectacular Showgirl tour at Earls Court for the 7 May television broadcast on Channel 4 and subsequent DVD release. The tour, playing its last few days in the UK before heading to Australia, was recorded on 6 May by Richmond Studios' location recording team, headed by company founder Toby Alington, in one of Sanctuary's recording mobiles.

Blink TV was the television production company, with Russell Thomas directing. CTV provided vision facilities with Bill Morris as OB unit manager. CTV produced a 13-camera shoot, recording onto 15 digital VTRs with a 30ft Super Technocrane, various aerial camera systems and a crew of over 50 on site. The show is Richmond's second recording for Kylie within a year - the last being at Hammersmith Odeon with a one-off concert performed specially for TV and DVD. This run of s

USA - US production sound services provider and sound contractor Simon Productions recently completed the design and installation of two programmable DSP distributed audio systems in the Los Angeles area, using Allen & Heath's iDR Series. The two systems - which both incorporate 10-input/10-output iDR-8 digital mix processors, as well as PL-4 wallplate controllers - were installed at the luxury Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel and UCLA's James West Alumni Centre in Westwood.

According to Simon Productions' Terry Stewart, the new audio set-up at the beachfront Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel replaced a traditional 70V ceiling system for background music. The Allen & Heath iDR-8 provides control and processing for a new digital jukebox that serves the public areas on the entrance level of the hotel. "What they wanted was a more high-end looking and sounding system, more hi-tech,

UK - Sennheiser UK is exhibiting at the Museums and Heritage Show from 11-12 May at Earls Court, London. Sennheiser will feature a number of specialized audio products for the Museums and Heritage market, including AudioBeam loudspeakers, audio tourguide systems and infrared audio systems for hearing impaired people. Visitors to the stand can also receive information on Sennheiser Digital Conference systems and APart Mask loudspeakers - aesthetically discreet products that can provide audio for a single exhibit or combine to form a complete PA system.

Sennheiser AudioBeam is a directional loudspeaker that is able to focus sound like the light beam of a torch. Unlike conventional loudspeakers, which are only able to focus sound at high frequencies, AudioBeam emits sound as a lobe that can be precisely directed and is reflected by objects. AudioBeam works with ultra-sound, modulat

USA - Artists often identify some pretty creative uses for their favourite audio gear. Once found, the ideal combination of equipment that delivers "just the right sound," is like a custom fit in an off-the-rack world, and very difficult to live without.

This is exactly what Stephen Jay, bass player for Weird Al Yankovic, has found in his trusted and well-used Mackie SR1530 Active loudspeakers. For years, he's been using them as his primary bass rig for live shows.

"My bass set-up consists of four Mackie SR1530's, a Mackie 1202 VLZ-Pro mixer, and a Mackie CFX•12 mixer," commented Jay. "The great thing about using the SR1530's is that when I want to get deeper into the groove, I run a little kick and snare through them to punch up their overall impact. And the 1530's allow me to do this without losing any of the original tone of my bass. This would

Germany - Nico Lewis joined EVI Audio on the 1 May 2005 in the capacity of Intercom sales manager with responsibility for Europe, Africa and the Middle East; it's an area in which he has plenty of experience, after a highly successful five year stint with the Dutch Telex distributor Axon Digital Design.

Already relishing the opportunities, he said: "Through my work for Axon, I am extremely familiar with the company's range: I know the advantages and the potential of all Telex/RTS systems, which is why I am able to approach this job in such a confident frame of mind."

(Sarah Rushton-Read)

USA - San Diego's largest and highest profile nightclub, the On Broadway Event Centre, has installed an Allen & Heath Xone:92 professional DJ mixer in the main DJ booth. Located in the city's downtown area, On Broadway occupies two levels of a historic bank building, and features five themed rooms with a total capacity of nearly 2000, regularly featuring top international DJs such as Paul van Dyk, Deep Dish, Tiesto and Darude.

According to Tim Walter, who was recently appointed director of sound and lighting, the upgrade to an Allen & Heath Xone:92 DJ mixer is just the latest step in an ongoing mission to restructure the venue's sound system for maximum performance and clarity. On Broadway, the shining star of owner Mike Viscuso's string of Southern California clubs and restaurants, catapulted San Diego onto the international DJ circuit when it opened six years ago and helped re

UKEmbrace, currently touring on both sides of the Atlantic, is the latest UK band to endorse Audio-Technica microphones for live sound. On stage, the band has a complete A-T back-line and vocal mic array.

Completing a series of dates across Canada and the US with Snow Patrol, the band return for a number of UK dates, including a sell-out two nights at Leeds' Millennium Square, before returning to the States throughout June and July for their first headline US tour. The band's FOH engineer, Mark Jones, approached Audio-Technica at the beginning of the year with a view to extending the kind of performance he had experienced using AT4050s on overheads and guitar cabs, across the entire sound mix.

"I approached A-T, principally about the vocal mics," he explains. "We wanted something that was very smooth-sounding, but we've got a singer who walks in front of the PA,

UK - John Henry Enterprises' audio division is using one of its dbx DriveRack units for monitor system management and EQ on the BBC's Strictly Dance Fever, presented by Graham Norton.

As the popular Saturday night show - broadcast live - builds up to its shimmying finale, a live band has joined the glitter, glamour and action in Studio TC1 of the BBC TV Centre in West London each week. This necessitates a full 20-piece monitor system plus four ways of hard wired IEMs in the mix, all controlled and processed by the DriveRack. The DriveRack is coupled to a Soundcraft Series 5 console being engineered by JHE's Jim King.

The DriveRack system consists of a 480 master unit, a 480R remote control, and three 482 slave units, all flight-cased into one on-the-road package - an ideal solution for situations like this where space is at an extreme premium.

The DriveRack 480, 481 a

UK - Size and scale are no advantage when it comes to overall financial success, according to a new study by Sound Equipment industry analysts Plimsoll Publishing. It seems the industry's smaller players are putting their larger counterparts to shame when it comes to overall financial performance. The study has looked at the industry's largest 40 companies and compared their financial performance with that of 238 smaller UK Sound Equipment competitors.

There is no doubting the dominance of these 40 'major players' - they currently control almost 94% of the market. Yet look beyond their size at their individual financial performance and their image appears somewhat staid.

Of the Top 40 companies profiled; 12 failed to increase sales beyond that of the industry average, dispelling the myth that they are capturing ever more market share. 14 made less profit than the average indus

UK - Original supergroup Cream's four-night appearance at the Royal Albert Hall in May 2005 following a 36-year absence from the spotlights is already being hailed as the musical event of the year, if not the decade. Such classic rock and roll musicianship demanded sound equipment of a similar pedigree, which is why both front of house engineer Chris (Privet) Hedge and monitor engineer Chris Wibberley chose Midas XL4 consoles for the sonic excellence and reliability such a concert demanded. The PA system was supplied by Concert Sound, which has counted Eric Clapton amongst one of its loyal clients for over 20 years.

"We just wanted to go for the best sounding board we could, and to me that is an XL4," says Privet. "This is a classic, straightforward blues-rock gig and it's all completely organic, there are no scenes or midi; Sound quality is the only criterion.

UK - Creative sound design and installation specialists CP Sound has completed its latest installation - at 'Blush', the newest venue to open in central Cheltenham. The club is part owned by Glendola Leisure and part by operator/manager Stuart Hunt. The space - previously a club - has been completely gutted, re-fitted and installed with new sound proofing, aligning the building as a stylish downtown 'chameleon' venue.The key to running this specific type of operation is its ability to have the facilities to react quickly to the diverse demands of a dynamic and mixed clientele, all of whom may want slightly varying elements out of the same space. CP Sound's Colin Pattenden is well experienced in chameleon installations, and has an extremely good ear for the acoustic properties that the different ambiences within it might require. Colin comments "The disco needed to be powerful

Canada - Adamson Systems Engineering has appointed independent rep firm Joe Desmond & Associates, based outside of San Francisco, to be its authorized sales representative for Nevada and California. Joe Desmond, CEO and founder of JDA, is a native Bostonian who has been in the pro audio and musical instrument industries for over 25 years.

"Adamson fits perfectly into the direction that we want to take our newly-established firm and we consider it an honor to be associated with them," said Desmond. "I was blown away at a demo we recently did in Reno for the Jazz Festival with Star Sound. Not only did the system sound better than anything I've ever heard, but the ease of hanging the boxes was unbelievable. With no heavy lifting by anyone, sixteen boxes were hung in less than thirty minutes; and this was the first time the guys from Star Sound had hung an Y10 system!

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