Mexico - Mexico City's Condesa neighbourhood is the centre of nightlife for the area's upwardly mobile residents, much like New York's East Village. Over the past six years, Condesa's music tastemakers and club-goers have flocked to a cluster of five chic nightspots where Meyer Sound loudspeaker systems have proven a key ingredient in a successful formula. Completed in 2005, the AM club was the first to install Meyer Sound products and has recently added MM-4XP miniature self-powered loudspeakers and a UMS-1P subwoofer as part of a remodeling project.
The five Meyer Sound-equipped Condesa clubs and restaurants - AM, PM, Rexo, Artic Bar, and Bar La Capital - all are owned by hospitality entrepreneur Carlos Alvarez, and sound system design for all was entrusted to freelance audio engineer Ramon Salazar. The runaway success of the first install at the AM club - pulsating nightly wi
UAE - Nicolas Kyvernitis Electronics Enterprises, distributors of Midas and Klark Teknik in the Middle East have recently supplied a new Midas PRO2 digital live audio system to Loud N Clear Middle East. After a two-day orientation, the console was immediately used at an Arabic wedding concert in the Emirates Palace Hotel, Abu Dhabi where Emirati singer Hussain Al Jasmi performed.
"Loud N Clear have been a Midas user for quite a long time now with their first ever console being a Midas Siena a few years ago, since then the company has grown and has now taken the digital leap with the Midas Pro2," commented Chicco Hiranandani, business development manager at NMK.
"The Pro2 will make significant in roads with the Arabic audio engineers due to the fact that it is very simple to use and provide the engineer with that analogue feel and more importantly, analogue sound
USA - The Philip Glass Ensemble along with the New York Philharmonic orchestra and the Collegiate Choir recently performed Philip Glass's powerful music for the 1982 Godfrey Reggio film Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out Of Balance at Avery Fisher Hall in Lincoln Centre. The landmark film was projected on a large screen above the stage throughout the performance.
Simon Nathan, owner of Audio Production Services of Amawalk, NY, worked closely with Dan Dryden, FOH engineer for the Philip Glass Ensemble, to design the sound system for the event.
"Because Avery Fisher hall is home to the Philharmonic, it doesn't have an in-house system that could handle this performance," explains Nathan. "We were asked to provide a high quality system that could cover the entire hall without impeding any stage site lines and provide clean, consistent sound throughout the room."
China - Rental company LAB, the country's first-ever L-Acoustics Rental Network Agent, has purchased a K1 WST line source system from exclusive Chinese distributor Rightway Audio Consultants.
LAB used the K1 system for the first time for pop singer Jane Zhang at the Mastercard Center, Beijing, part of her Personal Look tour of China. A system of 12 K1s and three Karas per side was flown, with six K1-SB subwoofers suspended behind each K1 hang in a cardioid configuration.
In addition, 24 Kudos were used as side-hangs for offstage-fill and six KARAs for front-fill, with a total of 12 SB28 subs. The monitor system included 16 115XT HiQ active coaxials, two MTD 108As, four ARCS and four SB28 subs. The whole system was powered by a total of 45 LA8 amplified controllers in 15 LA RAKs, controlled using the LA Network Manager. L-Acoustics Soundvision proprietary acoustic modell
UK - Renewing its working relationship with US pop rock duo Panic At The Disco which stretches back to 2006, Liverpool based Adlib Solutions supplied lighting and sound packages for the band's recent UK tour, including full production for the Manchester Apollo and Brixton Academy shows.
The touring lighting elements comprised a floor-based rig which could be used in conjunction with house rigs, while two DigiDesign D Show Profile mixing consoles - also used by the support acts, complete with racks, splitters, cables and mains distro - were supplied on the audio side.
With the Beatle-esque number Nine In The Afternoon a firm Adlib office anthem, account manager Phil Kielty states, "We've been fortunate to work with the band in the UK for six years and seen them grow both on their own tours and the festival circuit. By pure coincidence we bumped into their new crew i
Canada - SmithsonMartin Inc has announced its new Emulator Modular 1.0 software. The new software, which is available now at several online retail stores and directly through SmithsonMartin's website, "extends the proven functionality and flexibility of the Emulator control platform to a much broader range of music professionals beyond the DJ universe".
Emulator Modular 1.0 delivers powerful capabilities for music, pro audio, lighting and A/V professionals to customise multi-touch midi-controllers, allowing them to leverage an unprecedented degree of control and flexibility over settings and parameters. The new software can benefit anyone using MIDI-based software, including music producers, video editors, broadcasters, front of house operators, lighting designers, church AV installers and many others, says the company.
UK - The Tony Award-winning play Master Class by Terrence McNally has just transferred from Broadway to the West End for a short run at the Vaudeville Theatre. Sound design is by the veteran Jon Gottlieb, who flew into London at short notice to recreate his Broadway design, working with local associate sound designer Crispian Covell and Orbital Sound, ahead of the official opening on 7th February.
Gottlieb's involvement with Master Class dates back to the very first production in 1995, which clocked up nearly 600 performances in total. An ardent fan of Meyer Sound loudspeaker systems, Gottlieb was initially concerned about how to replicate his Broadway design in the West End environment in the minimal time available, as he explains:
"This was a challenging transfer, and it all happened very fast. We knew that we had to hit the ground running from the moment
Italy - The 'Palacongressi' in Rimini is Italy's largest and most modern convention centre; it features 39 rooms, a maximum capacity of 9,000 people plus "exceptional functionality and state-of-the-art technology". Bosch Security Systems won the project and was asked to install a flexible and reliable voice alarm system, in addition to sound reinforcement and interpretation technology for all conference rooms.
"Our biggest challenge was to come up with an idea of how to connect all the conference rooms and construct the audio system as a whole, combined with the interpretation solution", said Luca Galli, product manager public address & conference systems at Bosch Security Systems. The aim was to achieve a reliable and smooth audio transmission from each room to all the others, to guarantee intelligibility at all times. In particular, due to the main room's m
UK - The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama has recently purchased a Roland M-480 digital console as part of the ongoing refurbishment of the college, which already features a number of Roland Systems Group products across its multi-venue facilities.
In June 2011 the Royal Welsh College's dream of having its own world-class performance and rehearsal spaces became a reality as it opened its doors to new £22.5m facilities, including the 180 seat Richard Burton Theatre and the 400 seat Dora Stoutzker Concert Hall. A recording studio was also built to support the concert hall which can be patched into all the new rehearsal and performance spaces. Their event calendar encompasses over 300 public performances each year including orchestral concerts, recitals, drama, opera and musical theatre, making the choice of audio equipment to satisfy these varied applications an importan
USA - Saginaw Valley State University is one of Michigan's fastest-growing universities, and its Cardinal Athletics teams draw a steady stream of fans year-round. The university's main athletic complex, the Ryder Centre, comprises a number of venues, including a 6800-seat football stadium, indoor and outdoor track and field facilities, baseball, soccer and softball fields and more.
The Centre's 3700-seat James E. O'Neill Arena is home to the university's Cardinal basketball teams. The multipurpose facility can be segmented using movable walls, accommodating not just basketball, but everything from baseball practice, pole vaulting and shot putting to convocations, and even the occasional swap meet. The arena recently received a major sound system upgrade, overseen by Bret Emerson of Rockford, MI-based CommTech Design, installing a high-powered audio system featuring Renkus-Heinz
UK - Broadcast and pro audio technology specialists HHB Communications has announced the release of the HHB 2012 Catalogue, its biggest ever annual catalogue with information on over 2,000 professional audio products and editorial features from industry leading experts.
Produced for over three decades, the HHB Catalogue is a comprehensive guide to the latest pro audio technology for the broadcast, education, music recording, OB, post, radio, television and video games markets. The HHB 2012 Catalogue is the biggest edition yet, featuring information on products for file-based workflow, MADI, audio over IP, HD, loudness, Pro Tools, storage, and many more professional applications. Detailed descriptions, specifications, pictures and pricing for all available items are included.
The HHB Catalogue is also a trusted technical reference source due to its original editorial features w
UK - POLARaudio has announced the appointment of Stuart Leader as business development manager for the AV and Integration markets.
With over 16 years' experience in the Audio Visual Industry, Leader has worked for some of the foremost AV companies including Sanyo and Crestron, spending much of his career working on large projects with end-users, consultants and specifiers. Leader has been brought in to the company in a business development capacity and will be responsible for supporting POLARaudios' existing client base, developing new business and taking new technologies such as Biamp's AVB (Audio Video Bridging) to the AV and integration markets.
POLARaudio's managing director John Midgley commented, "We are delighted to welcome on-board the newest member of the team. Stuart possesses an abundance of experience and industry knowledge and will be a key part of our develo
The Netherlands - In partnership with their Dutch distributors, TM Audio, Martin Audio has added another premium concert venue in the Amsterdam region.
Following landmark installations in the iconic Paradiso and Melkweg clubs in the past few years, a Martin Audio W8LCi compact line array system has now been installed in latest Amsterdam rock venue (and cultural centre), Duycker.
Owned by the local government, and situated near Schiphol Airport (in the affluent town of Hoofddorp), the complex comprises two live rooms and a café bar, where sound reinforcement is provided by Martin Audio's AQ architectural range.
The Martin Audio W8LCi solution was chosen for installation in the large, 850-capacity room after the line array approach had been compared with modular systems by experienced freelance sound engineer, Gerald Chermin, who was brought in as technical director to
Park Life - The number of concerts held at Hyde Park has been cut from 13 a year to nine after complaints from residents. Westminster Council has also decided to reduce the number of people who can attend the events, from 80,000 to 65,000, and in some cases to 50,000.The changes come into effect next year. Hyde Park's licence to host events came under review after complaints about noise almost doubled since 2008.
The staging of live Olympics screenings and concerts planned for 2012 were not included in the review and the council agreed that an 18-day series of concerts will be held in the park to celebrate the Games and events related to the Queen's Jubilee.
Councillor Audrey Lewis, Westminster Council's Licensing chairman, said, "We have a duty to balance the needs of local residents with the desire of concert organisers to hold events and the compromise that the committ
UK - Flare Audio supplied the sound system for Coca Cola's worldwide Olympic TV campaign filmed next to the London 2012 stadium, featuring Mark Ronson and Katy B.
Flare Audio provided a 13 box flown Triwave i10 FOH System coupled with their Quadhorn Q218 bass enclosure.
"The sound produced by the system sounded incredible and the entire system was extremely fast to setup and de-rig," comments Arron Smith, project manager for Flare Audio.
The complex stage monitoring system was made up of the entire range of Flare Audio products; Stealth Array was used as side-fills, M15 as stage monitors, the V65 and V12 bass enclosures fitted perfectly into some of the smaller spaces where larger speakers would have restricted the athletes movements.
Davies Roberts from Flare Audio comments, "We were very honoured to have been selected to provide our new British designed an
USA - After 35 years on PBS - making it the longest-running music programme on American television - Austin City Limits (ACL) moved to a new home in 2011 at the ACL Live, which was recently named the 'Best New Major Concert Venue' by Pollstar. A modern HD production studio married to a 2,750-seat live music hall, ACL Live is equipped with a Meyer Sound Mica line array loudspeaker system.
Austin City Limits shows claim ACL Live at the Moody Theatre for 45 days a year, with acts ranging from Janet Jackson and Steve Miller to Tony Bennett and Willie Nelson. "The consensus is that we have a great sounding room," says ACL Live's general manager, Tim Neece, after the first weeks of shows. "Overall, the response from both patrons and artists has been extremely positive. We haven't had anybody who wanted to fly their own system, even when it was right outsid
UK - iLive was selected to manage a three-week run of performances held at The 02 in London, featuring over 100 bands, including The Feeling, Irwin Sparkes (Hoosiers frontman), and up-and-coming UK artists Nicki Garnett, Belakiss, Laura Steel, and Treetop Flyers.
Run by Silent Gig Ltd and supported by PA company The Audio Group, the December Sessions were a series of free performances to celebrate emerging UK talent hosted festival-style on an outdoor stage in the London Piazza at the O2. Allen & Heath's iLive digital system, comprising an iLive-T112 Control Surface at FOH and iLive-T80 on monitors both connected to iDR-48 MixRacks making use of Audinate's new Dante technology as a digital mic splitter, which also feeds the Dante virtual soundcard for full multitrack recording of the performances.
"The Audio Group is a long time user of the iLive systems. The flexibility
Germany Pro-audio partners Tannoy, Lab.gruppen and Lake will be exhibiting at Prolight & Sound in Frankfurt, taking place at the Frankfurt Messe 21-24 March.
Featured products will include the latest evolution of Lake's LM Series of digital audio system processors, LM 44, along with a sneak preview of the new developments with Lake Controller software. Also on show will be Tannoy's new VLS Series passive column array, following its international debut at ISE 2012 earlier this year.
Heading up the touring front will be Lab.gruppen's flagship PLM Series, including the TEC Award-winning PLM 20000Q.
Also on show will be the LM 44 digital audio system processor, the latest addition to Lake's LM Series that also includes the LM 26. Similar in many respects to the LM 26 Digital Audio Loudspeaker Processor, the LM 44 is geared more towards the role of a Dedicated Audio System Proces
Turkey - L-Acoustics' Turkish distributor, Elit Light&Sound Technologies, reports a spate of recent installations and projects in Istanbul using L-Acoustics systems.
Technical production companies 911 Music and Pia Stage Technologies worked with Elit to provide all sound and lighting for a concert at new Istanbul venue, Ora Arena, featuring the Buena Vista Social Club and Omara Portuondo. A main system of 12 KARA WST line source speakers per side was used, together with four ARCS, 10 SB18 and six SB28 subwoofers and 16 112P coaxial loudspeakers as stage monitors, the whole system being driven by 10 LA8 amplified controllers apart from the self-powered 112Ps. The prestigious concert featuring the multiple Grammy-winning Cuban band was organized by Turkish event management company Unilife.
According to Hamid Nejatemin, partner of 911 Music, the only option for providing sound qu
Poland - Tommex ?ebrowscy Sp. J. has recently completed the design and delivery of a Community loudspeaker-based pro audio and voice evacuation system for the prestigious Hala Stulecia (Centennial Hall) in Wroc?aw.
Constructed in 1913, Centennial Hall is undergoing a comprehensive programme of renovation and new development that transforms it into a state-of-the-art venue for its centenary. The installation of the sound system, handled by Asseco, is one of the final parts of this ambitious development programme.
Centennial Hall was built to commemorate the Battle of Leipzig in 1813, which ended Napoleon's occupation of the region. It was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006, chosen as one of the most important achievements in 20th century architecture. At the time it was built, Centennial Hall was the largest reinforced concrete structure in the world and feature
USA - The Recording Academy Producers & Engineers Wing kicked off Grammy Week with its fifth annual event, this year honouring music producer, entrepreneur and chair of Interscope Geffen A&M Records Jimmy Iovine, who has worked with artists including Bruce Springsteen, Patti Smith, U2, the Pretenders, Dire Straits, Stevie Nicks, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers and many more.
Iovine was recognized for his commitment to excellence in audio and ongoing support for the art and craft of recorded music. The event was held at The Village Studios in West Los Angeles. Grammy Week culminated with the 54th Annual Grammy Awards on Sunday 12 February 2012.
The event was held with the support of leading companies within the musical instrument and professional audio markets. Presenting sponsors included The Village Studios, West L.A. Music and Westlake Professional Sales. Co-sponsors included
UK - Crestron has appointed Matthew Buck to the position of commercial account manager. He will be responsible for bringing new members into the Crestron family as well as maintaining good links with existing clients.
Since graduating from Swansea Metropolitan, Buck worked for Polar Audio (originally BeyerdynamicUK) and progressed from the position of consumer products manager to business development manager; where he was responsible for key accounts in the South East.
"Crestron has long since been the leader in control and automation systems which makes my new role a real privilege and hugely exciting," says Buck. "Having gained some valuable experience working within the professional AV market at Polar, I'm relishing the prospect of working with an already strong and successful team to further the success of the Crestron brand."
Germany - MilTec(UK).ltd will exhibit at ProLight&Sound for the first time this year. On display will be a number of new audio and lighting products from its MT audio and LEDHead ranges. These include a new 8 channel amplifier, zoners, mixers and a new digital processor. On the lighting front, new battery powered units and an LED wash and profile in the same unit will be highlighted.
"We are currently looking for worldwide distributors for our audio and lighting products," says the company.
Germany - Set for launch at the 2012 ProLight&Sound exhibition in Frankfurt, XTA has created the DS8000 - an entire redesign of its popular DS800 mic/line distribution system. Featuring microphone preamps designed by Gottlier award winning Alex Cooper, the DS8000 offers many new facilities including a dual redundant power system, one-to-many split-switching, antitamper functions and subtle panel lighting. "All this combines to create a package that enhances its predecessor's reputation as a flexible, rugged and high quality distribution system," says the company.
Also showing will be the S Series S800 and S1400 Reference Power Amplifiers from MC2 Audio. "Designed for use in the most challenging studio monitoring environments, but equally at home in any application where transparency and 'no compromise' performance are the focus, the S Series delivers the stunning