Sound

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18 September 2024

Germany - Diversified, a leading global technology solutions provider, has announced the appointment of Johannes Stehr as vice-president of Enterprise EMEA. This strategic hire underscores Diversified's commitment to developing world-class enterprise offerings and addressing the growing demand for consistent global technology standards with robust local support.

In this newly created role, Stehr will lead Diversified's expansion of Workplace and Media operational capabilities across Europe, with an initial focus on Germany. His appointment marks a significant step in Diversified's global strategy to enhance its ability to serve multinational enterprises with a harmonised approach to technology deployment and support.

"As organisations increasingly seek standardised technology experiences across their global footprint, they also require deep local exp

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17 September 2024

UK - Celebrating its “best show for many years”, PLASA Show once again took residence in the Grand Hall of Olympia London from 1-3 September, demonstrating continuous growth - occupying 10% more floor space, welcoming a steady 5% increase in visitors and showcasing over 30 new exhibitors.

Despite an unexpected heatwave in the city and the extended summer festival season, visitor figures for Sunday - the event’s opening day - saw a 9.5% increase compared to 2023, while day two’s footfall also exceeded previous years, according to the show’s organisers.

The show floor welcomed a healthy cross-section of industry visitors, from entry-level professionals to senior leadership, with 15% more students visiting compared to 2023 and 79% of attendees declaring “influential purchasing power”. Key job roles of those in attendance included directors

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17 September 2024

UK - One of the most unlikely gigs Birmingham’s Utilita Arena (The NIA) has ever hosted – and certainly one of the loudest deployments of a Martin Audio line array in the company’s history – was the recent charity concert, dubbed ‘1000 Lights’.

Organised by local promoter and studio owner, Jack Davis, 1000 musicians came together, divided into five categories, to honour the life of Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington, whose final gig had been in Birmingham prior to his suicide in 2017.

By setting up the Uprawr Mental Health Foundation, Davis’ aim was to bring people together as part of a large-scale event. Thanks to the volunteers, and willing support from service providers – including Martin Audio partners 22live – he did just that, raising £135,000 for the Foundation, offering free mental health counselling (the musicians themselv

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17 September 2024

Poland - With a coveted Prix Versailles win under its belt, the Muzeum Historii Polski (The Polish History Museum) has succeeded in its goal to grab world attention in order to present the country’s history. The award highlights the world’s most beautiful public and commercial buildings, but the appeal of the Polish History Museum is more than skin deep.

Serious in its pursuit of visitor engagement and experience, the museum wanted the highest levels of immersive suspension and chose the submission by ESS Audio, Polish distribution partner for TiMaxSpatial, to be the implemented audio integrator. Two TiMax SoundHub spatialisation engines were deployed separately across two performance venues to create sophisticated object-based soundscapes rendered by the platform’s exclusive dynamic delay-matrix processing.

The museum is just one of several si

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17 September 2024

Namibia - Founded in 1919, Ohlthaver & List (O&L) Group is one of the largest privately owned companies in Namibia, operating across various sectors including food and beverages, fishing, retail, property development, hospitality, and leisure. The group is known for its commitment to innovation and sustainability and for contributing to Namibia's economic development.

Stage Audio Works (SAW) Namibia recently completed the integration of a modern AV system in the group’s executive boardroom at the O&L Centre in Windhoek. This upgrade aimed to update both the boardroom's aesthetics and technological capabilities, ensuring effortless virtual communication and an enhanced meeting experience for both in-person and hybrid delegates.

“We were approached by the client directly, as we have a long-standing relationship built upon past projects,

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17 September 2024

USA - Renkus-Heinz has officially launched OmniBeam, a new beam-steering software tool available for free with the latest RHAON II 2.5.0 release. OmniBeam streamlines the workflow for beam-steerable loudspeakers, ensuring optimal audio quality with minimal time and effort.

OmniBeam delivers optimised audio performance with a simple press of the “Snap to Audience” button. The algorithm generates custom-tailored coverage precisely aligned to the exact geometry of any space, providing the most consistent front-to-back audio experience possible.

“The driving philosophy behind OmniBeam was to give consultants and integrators back their time,” says Renkus-Heinz CTO Ralph Heinz. “By taking the rocket science out of simulating and commissioning steerable arrays, Renkus-Heinz has demonstrated how beam steering is suitable for more venues than just d

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17 September 2024

USA - Avid has appointed Alex Hofstrand as product manager for live sound after an extensive selection process. Hofstrand brings to the role a decade of experience with Avid’s live sound product line, having started in quality assurance for the launch of Avid Venue | S6L. He then moved into a product design role for Venue in 2022, managing new features and hardware updates to meet the demands of the touring and installed sound markets. 

“I’m excited and grateful for this opportunity to keep making Venue the best system an engineer can ask for,” says Hofstrand. “I’ve spent years on Venue systems because they just make sense. The Avid live sound team is a passionate group of people, always pushing to that next big thing to change the industry, and I look forward to delivering continued value for Venue customers.”

Rich Nevens, Sr. directo

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16 September 2024

Spain - La Velada Del Año 4, the fourth annual Twitch-streamed, amateur boxing night took place on 13 July. Featuring some of the biggest streamers from the Spanish speaking community, the event was held in the newly refurbished Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, home of Real Madrid.

A huge DiGiCo team was fielded on the night, with a Quantum 7, seven Quantum 338s and an SD12, all provided by Twin Cam Pro and with technical support from DiGiCo’s Spanish distributor, RMS ProAudio, to ensure the event was heard live, captured, and broadcast successfully to huge numbers of fans across the world.

‘The Night of the Year’ is organised by Ibai Llanos, one of the world’s most successful Spanish streamers who has over 30m followers across his internet platforms, and a mind-bending three billion views on his YouTube channel alone. The chosen inter

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16 September 2024

UK - Offering considerable hands-on experience and the first steps into a technical career in the arts, applications are open again for Lighthouse Young Technicians, organised by Lighthouse Poole arts complex. It is a nationally recognised training course for young people aged 13-19 eager to get to grips with lighting, sound and stage management in a variety of indoor and outdoor settings.

“Since its launch in 2018, the Young Technicians course has proven to be a valuable, real-world route into a career in technical theatre,” says Charles Shenton, Lighthouse creative engagement producer.

Guided by industry specialists in a structured 12-week course, the budding technicians navigate all elements of technical theatre to gain the experience they need to pursue a future career, working alongside all technical departments in the build up to opening ni

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16 September 2024

The Netherlands - DPA Microphones has released its new 2061 Miniature Omnidirectional Microphone, a solution intended for individuals who work with professional-level sound capture of the voice, in all of its nuances.

The 2061 offers simplicity, durability and reliability combined with DPA’s natural sound. “We launched the 2061 to appeal to audio professionals who are not yet part of the DPA family and are looking to upgrade their audio quality with a crystal-clear, no-frills microphone,” says Helga Volha Somava, product management director, DPA Microphones. “With its durable and rugged enclosure and premier DPA sound, the 2061 does not compromise on excellence. This is a great miniature microphone that is a worthy competitor to other well-known and widely used models.”

Borrowing several design elements and principles from other DPA lavalie

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16 September 2024

The Netherlands - Wisycom has released its new MTH610 Handheld Wireless Microphone Transmitter, the latest addition to the brand’s Symphony line of products. Designed for professional wireless microphone applications, the new handheld features dual-band capability in the 470 to 1260 MHz range, which is essential for global events that cover a wide range of locations and frequency spectrums based on specific country regulations. The transmitter is suited to “any live sound production, including broadcast, theatre, concert and house of worship applications”.

“We developed the MTH610 to fill a need in the live performance industry for a wireless microphone solution that offers flexibility and durability,” says Leslie Lello, product specialist and project manager, Wisycom. “This new transmitter features an ergonomic design that makes it one of the li

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16 September 2024

Italy - In collaboration with Dolby, Powersoft is building on its recent growth in the global cinema market by adding support for Dolby Atmos Connect AES67 patching into the latest version of its ArmoníaPlus software, streamlining the process of connecting its amplifiers to Dolby’s cinema hardware.

Adding support for Dolby Atmos Connect AES67 into ArmoníaPlus 2.7.1 simplifies the patching process between Powersoft’s Unica and Canali-series (Quattrocanali and Duecanali) amplifiers and the Dolby Atmos processor, providing a more straightforward setup in cinema environments. The new functionality provides a quicker, easier and more reliable way to integrate with and configure a Dolby Atmos system.

“Powersoft's increasing presence in the cinema market highlights the importance of being compliant with Dolby Atmos,” comments Francesco Cionini, gl

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13 September 2024

UK - Elation has announced that Sound Technology has been appointed as the exclusive distributor for Elation and Obsidian products in the UK and Ireland, effective now. In addition to its existing portfolio, Sound Technology will manage all aspects of Elation and Obsidian sales, service, training, and support in the region.

Located in Letchworth Garden City, north of London, Sound Technology is a leading distributor of high-profile brands in the professional audio, lighting, and MI retail sectors. The company is part of the Midwich Group, one of the largest specialist audiovisual distributors in the UK and Europe.

Marc Librecht, sales and marketing director for Elation and Obsidian in Europe, emphasised the partnership: “We are excited to have found a dedicated partner who can help us expand the Elation and Obsidian brands in this extremely importa

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13 September 2024

UK - Northern England music venue, Sage Gateshead, now rebranded as The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, underwent an audio refurbishment to coincide with its reopening, culminating in the introduction of an additional two SD12 all-purpose digital mixers to its inventory of consoles from DiGiCo.

Not only does the acquisition mark the venue’s transition to DiGiCo consoles in the two main halls but, following an overhaul of the cabling infrastructure to provide MADI across The Glasshouse’s performance spaces, the versatile SD12 models can deliver a variety of functions from various mix positions.

Located on the south bank of the River Tyne, the architectural award-winning building is one of the UK’s leading music venues, hosting a mix of high-profile classical and contemporary productions for the last 20 years, as well as a vast music-m

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13 September 2024

USA - The teams at the ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center in Hawaii and the Queen Elizabeth II Planetarium in Canada are doing their part to seek out discoveries every day. Recently, both planetariums went through retrofits to improve the facilities and the guest experience, and the teams turned to amplifiers from LEA Professional to provide the audio.

Both planetarium teams contacted George Barnett, co-founder and technical director of SSIA Technologies and their long-term technical provider, to help them improve their audio systems. The planetariums wanted a more reliable and robust system that could immerse their guests in the storytelling of the vastness of space.

“LEA won our hearts over with their first amplifiers,” said Barnett. “We just loved the engineering – it was fantastic. It had good power, a small chassis, lots of features, and a very

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13 September 2024

Portugal - Billed as a ‘destination hotel’, Immerso, Ericeira’s first five-star hotel, is a relaxed retreat away from the world’s hubbub but close to the Portuguese capital of Lisbon. Since premium audio forms a crucial part of the overall visitor experience, the Immerso team turned to Genelec’s 4000 Series installation loudspeakers.

Guests at Immerso can indulge in a range of wellness activities including sunrise and sunset yoga and pilates sessions on the beautiful wooden deck overlooking the valley.

For the audio system, the hotel owners contacted local Genelec distributor, Garrett Audiovisuais, on the recommendation of well-known music producer and composer Elvis Veiguinha, who was responsible for developing the hotel’s sound identity. “Elvis has known us for more than 30 years,” explains Garrett’s Raul Fernandes. “He introduc

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12 September 2024

Belgium - Now in its 20th year, the festival celebrating all genres of electronic music is hosted in the aptly named town of Boom in Belgium. This year, Holoplot’s X1 system was chosen to provide the sound for The Atmosphere stage, a custom-made circus-top tent featuring DJs including Amber Broos, Dyen, Ellen Allien, Olympe, Adam Beyer and others. At close to 30m high and 30m wide, it can accommodate up to five thousand techno fans. The system utilises two main arrays consisting of six X1 modules each, with six surrounds of two X1 modules each.

The key challenges to overcome were the highly reflective surfaces causing echoes in the listening area, preventing an even sweet spot to fully benefit from the immersive content played at the stage. Pieter Doms, sound engineer at Noizboyz and co-founder of stereo up-mixing solution Areal, is responsible for the sou

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12 September 2024

UK - Located in Cookstown, Northern Ireland and founded in 1970, and supplying Nexo for over 40 years, Rea Sound has grown to be one of the largest professional audio-visual distributors, installer and design companies in the country.

An expert team with over 200 years of combined experience helps customers across Northern Ireland and Ireland create better audio-visual experiences in a wide range of venues including churches, most recently the First Broughshane Presbyterian in the large County Antrim village of Broughshane.

“The First Broughshane Presbyterian has recently undergone a significant renovation and, as a beautiful, listed building, the traditional aesthetic in the church and halls has been meticulously preserved,” reports Rea sound director Roger McMullan.

“Building on our long-standing relationship with the church, we were

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12 September 2024

UK - The Lyric Hammersmith Theatre is making waves in the West End with its UK premiere of Fangirls, an award-winning Australian musical that has taken the theatre world by storm. This groundbreaking production features an L-Acoustics sound system that delivers exceptional audio quality to this major West End debut.

Written by Yve Blake, Fangirls explores the passionate world of teen fandom through the story of a 14-year-old girl infatuated with the lead singer of a world-famous boy band. The show, which blends hilarity with powerful messages about feminism and the often-underestimated capabilities of teenage girls, demanded an extraordinary audio system capable of recreating the electrifying atmosphere of a large-scale pop concert within the intimate setting of the Lyric.

To meet this unique challenge, award-winning sound designer

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12 September 2024

Germany - The 6K United 2024 You are Precious tour took place recently at some of Germany’s foremost arena venues, including the Munich Olympic Hall and the Hamburg Barclay Arena. This music project, which has run for a number of years, brought together the voices of six thousand children, who after months of independently rehearsing material specially created for them, came together as one to sing an entire concert repertoire for spellbound audiences.

Accompanied by a 16-piece backing band, the choir delivered a wide range of musical styles prepared under the guidance of Professor Fabian Sennholz of Frankfurt University of Music.

Audio technology is clearly an essential element of an undertaking of this size and scale, and this year saw new standards set by specialists Melodus, a company created in 2023 by the merger of expert practitione

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11 September 2024

UK - Audio specialist tube uk helped design sound, as well as specify and implement an innovative system to deliver Where to Begin, the opening event of the 2024 Edinburgh International Festival (EIF), working closely with creative agency Pinwheel under the artistic direction of Katy Fuller and composer Roma Yagnik.

Yagnik created the musical highlight for an immersive pre-show experience followed by a large projection spectacular, with video content produced by Yeast Culture, which was mapped and beamed by Graymatter Video onto the north façade of George Heriot School, founded in 1628, which is overlooked by Edinburgh Castle.

The ticketed event kicked off the 2024 EIF with great flair. It ran over three evenings and was enjoyed by 3,000 people each night, celebrating the energy, vibrance and spirit of the city and the alchemy of invention

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11 September 2024

UK - 30 years after Oasis' debut album Definitely Maybe first made waves, Liam Gallagher set out to recreate that magic for a new generation.

To meet the challenge, Skan PA Hire, a Clair Global company, was tasked with crafting a professional sound system capable of unleashing the raw energy and nuances of Gallagher's performances.

"We needed a system with serious muscle, but also finesse," explains Sam Parker, front of house engineer for the tour. "L-Acoustics was the obvious choice to meet those demands."

Rising to the challenge, systems engineer Mark Pantlin designed a comprehensive concert touring system centred around renowned K Series line array speakers from L-Acoustics.

The setup features main hangs of 16 K1 over four K2 per side, complemented by side-hangs of 10 K1 over six K2 per side. Low-end reinforcement is deliv

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11 September 2024

Spain - 50 minutes of total immersion – that is the aim of Lumina Catedral de Toledo. Since December 2023, visitors have been able to experience the multimedia production in the Gothic cathedral of Toledo in the centre of Spain. The main components are large-scale project mapping, precise surround sound, and a lighting design that makes the architecture of the cathedral appear even more impressive.

As the technical service provider, Meraki Cultura Audiovisual SL relied on a combination of LD Systems Curv 500 array systems for the sound and Cameo lights from the Zenit, Opus, and Evos series for the lighting of the temporary installation.

“Lumina Catedral de Toledo is a globally unique multimedia and cultural experience,” explains project director Alfonso López Rivera, managing director of Meraki Cultura Audiovisual SL. “The

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10 September 2024

UK - Martin Audio and Solotech UK (formerly as Capital Sound) have been permanent incumbents at BST Hyde Park since AEG Presents took over the Hyde Park lease in 2013, and Martin Audio PAs feature site wide.

But this year, Solotech were represented by a different system engineer in Rayne Ramsden. And while he was working to the same offsite sound level thresholds (75dBA) as set out by acoustic consultants Vanguardia, he was nevertheless able to squeeze out a couple of extra dB at FOH, giving them a potential of 101dB(A) without breaching offsite limits.

“Rather than simply cut and paste from last year, I suggested tilting the delay PAs a degree or two to gain a bit more coverage and an extra 1-2dB out in the field –knowing I could use the Hard Avoid [feature in the control software] to shave it off if necessary. Those extra degrees on the top ang