Australia / Singapore - Australian-based manufacturer ARX has announced that it will be exhibiting at the inaugural Eventech 2008 exhibition at the Singapore Expo, 25-26 June 2008 (Stand A6) and will be exhibiting for the first time in Asia their new range of USB Audio Interfaces.

These are the USB DI box - a USB-to-analogue transformer isolated audio input interface, and the ePre 2 USB - a true plug-and-play Digital-to-Analogue dual channel mic/line pre-amp to USB interface. Also on the ARX stand will be several additions to its popular AudiBox series of audio tools and its range of signal processing products.

ARX's managing director Colin Park said: "Eventech is a new and exciting exhibition for the Asian region with what looks to be a unique networking format for both exhibitors and more importantly show attendees. ARX's Singapore-based Rob Yeo and I are looking forwar

UK - One of north London's best-known concert venues, the Mama Group-owned Kentish Town Forum, has been hosting live performances since the early 1980s, featuring a diverse array of artists. In recent years there had been concerns about the venue's sound quality, so a new Turbosound audio system has been installed.

"My job was to deliver products so that the venue can do its business successfully," says Archie McIntosh, director of VMS Live, who the Mama Group brought in to oversee the Forum's refurbishment. "I've used Turbosound Aspect in other projects and it was good to have the chance to use it in such a wonderful venue as the Forum."

The main front of house system comprises both ground stacked and flown elements. Four Aspect TA-880L low frequency, three TA-880H mid/highs and two TSW-218 subs per side are complemented by a pair of TA-500 Aspect Wide cab

UK - Adele, the young British soul singer who began the year as the winner of the BBC's Sound of 2008, is currently undertaking her biggest UK tour so far. And an essential addition to her touring package has been a range of microphones from Neumann and Sennheiser.

According to front of house engineer Dave McDonald the Neumann KMS 104 was always going to be an essential part of Adele's audio makeup.

"I've been touring for the last year with Air," he explains, "and we were using the Neumann KMS 104. It takes the vocal and really throws it to the back of the hall with clarity. When I started working with Adele I said, 'let's get you one of these, it's the right mic for your vocal'. The KMS 104 just has this depth. It goes right to the bottom and the high end of the vocal and it's crystal clear. That's what I always want. I don't want to be messing around f

Germany - Presented in March and October for popular and classical music respectively, Germany's Echo Awards are the high points of the country's annual music industry calendar - and this year XTA system processing has helped rapper Bushido to walked off with two.

The Echo Awards are given each year by the Deutsche Phono-Akademie, an association of the country's recording companies, and reward the highest selling artists of the preceding 12 months.

2008 was the third year in which Bushido has won Echo Awards and, with three major live tours having been undertaken in 2007 alone, it is unsurprising that he came top in both the Best National Live Act and Best National Hip-Hop/R&B artist categories.

Berlin-based Complete Audio provides the audio system for Bushido's live shows, using two XTA DP448 and one DP226 processors to control a large Martin Audio PA system.

"Bushid

UK - Wireless microphone manufacturer Trantec, has appointed Rob Moore to the position of Northern Field sales executive.

Rob comes to Trantec from a 15 year career at the Music Factory Entertainment Group where amongst other roles, he headed up MastermixDJ, a service that provided DJs with access to the best in equipment and advice.

Commenting on his appointment, Moore said: " I've long been an admirer of the quality and innovation that goes into Trantec products, and joining a major player in the wireless mic market is a great opportunity for me. I don't know of any company that understands their target audience better than Trantec. They've engineered their new microphones for serious users and I'm happy to be a part of an organization that's truly focused on delivering quality products."

Trantec's head of sales and marketing, Mark Parkhouse added: "Rob's ex

Australia - Entrepreneur Justin Hemmes has opened the luxurious $150 million Sydney leisure complex, The Ivy - a flagship for the Merivale Group of hotels and bars, to which he is the heir.

Located in the city centre, The Ivy had its soft launch in December 2007 and in the Spring of 2008 moved into full operation, with a series of restaurants, bars, cocktail lounges and live music.

The complex features 14 bars, nine restaurants, boutique hotel, swimming pool (with a dance sound system), gardens, penthouses, nightclub, cafes, delicatessens, ballroom, office space and retail outlets. It also houses a 1000-capacity function room and can cater for up to 3,000 people in total at any one time.

Providing an audio network that would place more than 40 zones on the same backbone presented an exacting task for system integrators Avsound Productions Pty. Installation contracts manager,

USA - TSC Productions, owned and operated by Brendon Grimes, recently purchased an iLive-144 64-input x 32-output system. Based in Florida's Emerald Coast, TSC Productions' iLive has served mixing duties for a wide variety of events ranging from outdoor festivals to Ultimate Fighting events to touring acts at the various spring break fueled clubs in the Destin/Fort Walton Beach area.

"The iLive has been a fantastic console for our events," says Grimes. "The layout is like an analogue console, so it is very familiar and any of our engineers or guest engineers can get up and running with it in five minutes. Also, the iLive sounds amazing, the preamps are beautiful and really, really clean. We have done several events with the iLive including the LoCash Cowboys at the Block, the Ying Yang Twins and Bubba Sparks at the Nightown Club, Ultimate Fighting at the Emerald C

Another busy news week has seen Sound Technology plc confirming its acquisition of Harman Professional Group's distribution business in the UK and Ireland from Harman International Industries, Inc. The agreement transfers to Sound Technology a strong team of sales professionals and exclusive distribution rights for JBL Professional, Crown, Soundcraft, AKG, dbx, BSS Audio and Lexicon products in the UK and Ireland.

Clay Paky has announced the nominations for the 'Knights of Illumination' Lighting Design Awards that are to be awarded in association with the ALD and the STLD at the annual ABTT dinner in London on 11 June 2008. The awards are being supported by Clay Paky to recognise the UK's outstanding contribution to live performance and television. The awards are unique in honouring work across such a wide range of music, theatre, opera, dance and television.

On the personnel front,

Hungary - An expansive new leisure complex in the centre of Budapest has been equipped, site-wide, with digital audio processing from BSS Audio. Billed as 'Budapest's first centre for gastronomy', Symbol is located at the most prestigious area of Óbuda - 150m from Kolosy Square.

Although the neighbourhood has been upgraded in recent years, the premises - containing the seven separate units that constitute Symbol Budapest - has remained true to its traditions dating back more than 200 years.

Covering a total area of nearly 3,000sq.m, all the activity is arranged around the courtyard - with the Bombay Bar in the centre and terraces for all the surrounding venues. To one side is the Café & Lounge, to the other the Puskás Pancho Sport Pub, an elegant memorial to the late Puskás Öcsi. The 220-year-old preserved Cellar Restaurant is available for private functions, while

UK - The Brighton Coalition, a new seafront venue boasting live bands, DJ sets and live comedy has installed a Turbosound Aspect Wide reinforcement system.

"The venue was formerly the Beach Club, which had a Turbosound Floodlight system," explains Alastair Dixon, aka Big Al, a Brighton-based freelance engineer who managed the new installation, which was supplied through local company MBI. "They wanted to relaunch the venue and move away from house music, making it more of a multipurpose live sound set up. It's very band orientated now."

With a 500 capacity main room coupled to a 100 capacity café, the Coalition has already announced the launch of the new Brighton Club NME. Brighton visitors can also look forward to shows by major stars such as hip hop's Sway and BBC Radio 1Xtra's DJ Cameo.

The new system comprises four Aspect Wide TA-500 three-way

Australia - ARX will be exhibiting at the inaugural Eventech 2008 Exhibition, Singapore Expo, 25 - 26 June 2008 and will show for the first time in Asia their new range of USB Audio Interfaces.

Also on the ARX Booth will be several additions to the popular AudiBox series of Audio Tools and range of signal processing products.

ARX's managing director Colin Park says: "Eventech is a new and exciting Exhibitionfor the Asian region with what looks to be a special networking format for both exhibitors and more importantly show attendees. ARX's Singapore based Rob Yeo and I are looking forward to meeting up with many of the ARX users in the region during the two day show."

(Jim Evans)

UK - Cadac Electronics is showing the S-Digital audio mixing console for the first time in the Asia Pacific region, at PALM Expo China, 29 May - 1 June 2008 in Beijing. Cadac is exhibiting in conjunction with local distributor, Eastern Acoustic Development Ltd (EAD).

Designed specifically for theatre and live sound applications, Cadac's S-Digital represents a radical departure from other live sound console designs, by combining the familiar surface architecture, character and functionality of the industry benchmark Cadac J-Type, with the operational and creative benefits of digital audio control.

Cadac's managing director, Bob Thomas, explains the concept behind the S-Digital:"We are delighted to bring our S-Digital console to the Asia Pacific region for the first time, after working with the world's best sound designers and operators to create a new breed of digital cons

Korea - Following the opening of its Tokyo office last month, BBE Sound has announced the opening of a second office in the Pacific Rim, this time in Korea. Located in Seoul, the new regional base will support BBE's growing technology licensing business.

Heading the new office as general manager of the Korean region is J.C. Chung who, with 20 years experience within the consumer electronics industry, is well placed to strengthen BBE Sound's presence in Korea, says the company.

Chung said: "The opening of the Korean office marks BBE's commitment to better serve our local customers. With our knowledge of and experience in this region, along with BBE's renowned audio technology, we will be able to provide Korean CE makers with unparalleled solutions."

(Jim Evans)

UK - Jo-Ann Thorn has joined The Sound Division Group with a multi-functional role ranging from office manager, organising the company's burgeoning hire and production business, to other aspects of sales and marketing.

Thorn spent the past five years at Halo Lighting, following ten years working with AV and videoconferencing technology at BT.

"I've been aware of Sound Division's excellent reputation within the industry for many years and it's a real pleasure to be invited to join the team. I'm greatly looking forward to the challenges ahead," she says.

The company's managing director David Graham adds, "It is fortunate that we have been able to recruit someone of Jo-Ann's background and enthusiasm. With a range of services from party and event production through to top-level install it was vital that we enlisted someone with the organisational skills and indus

UK The newly refurbished Regal in Oxford features a Martin Audio W8LC system, provided by Capital Sound Hire on a long term rental and installed by Greg Sexton's company, Beamlink.

The core system comprises six W8LC Compact line arrays flown each side of the stage, with a W8LCD downfall enclosure at the base. Two stacks of four Martin Audio 218x subwoofers, isolated on concrete pillars, provide the bass rumble.

Additionally the club purchased a pair of Blackline F12s (and an S15 sub) from Capital Sound Hire to ensure the DJs had the best reference sound up in the control booth. The venue also bought the combination of Martin Audio MA4.2 and MA2.8 amplifiers, which power the entire system. In the DJ booth is a Soundweb SW9010 'Jellyfish' remote, which enables switching of the Martin Audio EQ presets between dance and live mode.

Upstairs in the Elite Room (which formerly trade

USA - Anchor Audio has introduced a new portable sound system which delivers high quality sound in a lightweight, battery-powered package. The AN-Mini weighs less than 2.5 pounds, yet delivers a powerful 109dB of sound which will project clear, intelligible speech to audiences up to 100 people.

The AN-Mini is available in a variety of translucent colors including black, red, yellow, blue or clear. Anchor Audio developed this package in cooperation with corporate trainers, school teachers and musicians who need a clear, powerful sound system and value the high tech, colorful look of the AN-Mini.

In addition to a wired handheld microphone, the AN-Mini offers an optional wireless microphone with 16 UHF channels and a range of 250ft. The wireless microphone options include a traditional handheld model and a hands-free model in which a headband, collar or lapel microphone is plugge

USA - The United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT) bestowed one of its highest honours, the 2008 Harold Burris-Meyer Distinguished Career in Sound Award, on Meyer Sound founders Helen and John Meyer at its annual conference in Houston. At the same event, The Pearson Theatre, Meyer Sound's resident theatre at its Berkeley headquarters, was also given an Architecture Merit Award.

"The world of the performing arts has always been a passion for us, both personally and professionally," remarked Helen Meyer. "Meyer Sound has long strived to be part of the driving force in the evolution of theatre sound technology, and we're gratified by the recognition we've received today from our friends and colleagues at USITT."

Also at the USITT Conference, architects Marcy Wong and Donn Logan were recognized with an Architecture Merit Award for their work on Me

USA - Today at 10:00 a.m. (PST), Digidesign will present part two of its five-part Live Sound Webinar series, hosted by Live Sound Manager Robert Scovill.

In his 30-minute presentation, VENUE and Pro Tools|HD or Pro Tools LE, Scovill will cover how to determine which Pro Tools recording system to use for various live sound applications. He'll also introduce viewers to the different Pro Tools hardware and interface options, archiving concepts, and more.

A total of five presentations are planned as part of the Live Sound Webinar series. The first, Introduction to VENUE and Mix Rack, was webcast on 23 April, 2008. The third webinar will take place on 25 June, 2008.

(Jim Evans)Robert Scovill

UK - Stagecraft Theatre Services (STS), one of the country's leading experts in stage, sound and lighting installers, has welcomed new project manager Kevin Hughes to its growing Salisbury-based team. Hughes, who has worked in the industry for 20 years, has project managed audio and visual installations at events and venues throughout the country, including commissioning the sound system at the much-talked-about O2.

"2008 has been an exceptionally busy year for STS so far and we are very pleased to welcome Kevin to our team," said sales director Martin Palmer. "Kevin brings with him a wide-range of experience and equipment knowledge, which will be of great benefit to schools, theatres and performance venues."

Originally an expert in sound system installation and commissioning, Kevin now has a breadth of expertise covering sound, video, lighting and stage ma

Germany - K & R Event, a company based in the Eifel region town of Strotzbüsch is the latest member to join Germany's Cohedra user network. After extensive testing, the two owners of K&R Event, Andreas Röder and Jörg Krest, opted for a Cohedra system comprising 16 CDR 208 mid-/high-range units and CDR 210 subwoofers each.

"We were looking for a light line array system with a long throw range, compact dimensions, and lots of power," commented Andreas Röder. "In the past we had worked mainly with an American manufacturer and were not HK Audio users, but with other companies, the support situation is often not ideal. Dependability and good service are tremendously important to us.

Our colleagues from the German rental company Triacs have used Cohedra with success for a number of years, so firstly we figured we are just 100 km from the HK Audio company headquar

UK - Fightcase manufacturer 5 Star recently designed and built specially customised flightcases for US sound company Eighth Day Sound Systems to house two new DiGiCo SD7 digital consoles.

This follows 5 Star's existing arrangement to supply DiGiCo with casing solutions for the SD7. Eighth Day Sound, based just outside Cleveland, Ohio, ordered two of the recently launched digital consoles, and required additional features as part of the flight case.

The cases were based on the DiGiCo supplied model with additional bespoke features specified by Eighth Day.

5 Star produced the two special SD7 cases for Eighth Day Sound in a tight timeframe but on schedule. These were immediately dispatched to DiGiCo's UK production facility in Glenrothes, Scotland for onward shipping to Ohio, complete with the SD7 consoles packed inside.

(Jim Evans)

USA - Radian Audio Engineering is launching the company's new Professional Installation Series of speakers with the RC-500 two-way speaker system. These have been designed for "demanding church, theatre, restaurant and home theatre applications and bridge the gap between quality and price", says the company.

Housing a 5.25" woofer and a 0.5" tweeter the RC-500 has a power handling capability of 10 - 80W across an extended frequency range of 80 Hz - 19kHz. Nominal sensitivity is 90 dB SPL (1W @ 1m).

The polystyrene enclosure measures 8.26" x 7.48" x 11.2" (210 x 190 x 286 mm) and is weather resistant for outdoor or indoor applications. It weighs 6 lb (2.73 kg). The RC-500 ships with a steel swivel U-bracket that allows easy vertical or horizontal mounting on walls, ceilings, corners and other locations.

(Jim Evans)

UK - airSound is a new listening technology that resolves fundamental problems associated with conventional stereo reproduction. airSound returns to the earliest research on binaural sound (stereo as we now call it), in order to reproduce uniform spatial stereo signals from a single speaker enclosure. By encoding stereo signals as direct and spatial information, rather than as separate left and right channels, it is possible to produce a single-point-stereo soundfield that is heard identically anywhere in the room. The airSound stereo signal is not produced by DSP processing, or any kind of artificial effect, it is true stereo sound, says the company.

Products using airSound technology are not constrained by the off-axis phase and frequency anomalies of left / right channel stereo; and the limitation of the true stereo signal to a fixed 'sweet spot'. For CI and commercial audio

Russia - The recent renovation of the Children's School of Art in Moscow saw the almost total rebuild of the facilities, retaining only the original façade of the main buildings.

"The new concert hall is primarily designed for chamber music," explained Elena Shabalina, acoustic engineer with Aris-Pro, a leading Russian pro audio specialist. "We were asked to tender at the beginning of last year. At the time a proposal for a sound reinforcement system had already been devised by an external audio consultant, and so Mr. Vladimir Fomin from the Department of Culture of Moscow City, the body responsible for the School, asked us to review and update the original design."

"The system tender proved to be far more than was required for such a venue. This is a small concert hall ideal for Chamber music, and caters for audiences of approximately 200. Considerin

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