UK - Nearly a year after Katy Perry’s virtual performance at the American Idol Season 18 Finale, disguise has announced the public release of its Extended Reality (xR) solution as part of its r18 software launch. The xR workflow utilised by XR Studios to power Perry’s performance has opened up a new world of opportunities in immersive real-time production in the past year, offering a safe and innovative alternative for shows and live events, allowing these to resume virtually, says the company. Backed by the Carlyle Group and Epic Games, disguise has powered over 230 productions across live entertainment, film and episodic TV, corporate events, and TV and sports broadcast to date. Over 165 disguise xR stages have been built in 35 countries to support the growing demand. First introduced at the IBC Show in 2018, disguise xR has since undergone intens
USA - Audinate has announced the immediate availability of the Dante AVIO USB-C adapter, the next evolution in the popular Dante AVIO family. The Dante AVIO USB-C adapter allows the latest mobile devices and computers to connect to any Dante audio network for playout or recording. The Dante AVIO family of adapters allow users to easily use non-Dante analogue, USB, AES3/EBU or Bluetooth audio equipment with a Dante audio network. The Dante AVIO USB-C adapter connects to devices with USB-C or A ports (cables included) to deliver and receive two channels of audio over a Dante audio network. It requires no additional drivers and works with any application, making it ideal for rapid setup of conference rooms, background music and more. The Dante adapter may be powered via USB or PoE. When connected to a PoE Ethernet switch, 7.5W of power is available to USB-C compatib
Germany - The School of Life Sciences is part of the Technical University of Munich (TUM). Located at the Weihenstephen Campus in Freising, Upper Bavaria, the faculty offers degree programmes in the fields of organic, agricultural and nutritional sciences among others. In order to offer its students the best possible facilities for lectures and presentations, TUM recently equipped three of its lecture halls with the latest media technology. Overall responsibility for the installation rested with GSVA mbH/Klaus Kuttenhofer, who brought in Fürstenfeldbruck-based company into>noise, led by Andreas Zeh and Tobias Förster, to take care of the audio element. It was a demanding brief for which into>noise chose Coda Audio. Andreas Zeh explains the choice: “The task was a tough one. We needed to obtain the best possible sound, eliminate the possibility of feedback, an
Chechen Republic - The Sulim Kadyrov Mosque, located in the village of Oyskhara, has a capacity of up to 15,000 people. Opened in 2020, the RCF speakers project for the building was carried out by Master Sound with the assistance of the Moscow-based RCF distributor ARIS. In 1932, Sulim Kadyrov was convicted by the authorities for teaching the Holy Quran and religion of Islam. For his actions, he spent 14 years in the Gulag camps. The grand opening of the mosque took place on 21 August 2020, with the head of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov attending as a special guest. The celebration coincides with the 69th anniversary of the birth of the first President of the Chechen Republic, hero of Russia, Akhmat-Khadzhi Kadyrov. The air volume of the hall, taking into account the under- and upper- balconies, is about 14,000m3, with a total surface area is 6,360sq.m. Ac
New Zealand - The country’s musical summer took a turn for the better when for six weekends in January and February, homegrown rock sensations SIX60 took to the road for their SIX60 Saturdays tour. Playing outdoor venues with a stella line up of guests to the largest audiences the country has seen since the beginning of 2020, monitor engineer David O’Brien chose a DiGiCo SD7. With the console set up simply and using nothing other than an SD-Rack, it was used for both SIX60 and the support acts and, with the support acts changing for each, the tour ran much like a festival with mixes built on the fly behind the LED wall without any line of sight. “I chose the SD7 because it offered a few features I think make for a good workflow,” he says. “Having two master fader banks allows me to put the tech/shout mixes on the upper master bank while keeping the band outpu
France - Harman Professional Solutions recently collaborated with Produc’son and Freevox to outfit Stade Saint-Symphorien with a complete stadium sound reinforcement solution consisting of JBL Professional loudspeakers. Located in the city of Metz and home to France’s top division soccer team, FC Metz, Stade Saint-Symphorien is the largest sports stadium in the region of Lorraine. The stadium, which was originally constructed in 1923, was recently renovated to expand its seating sections and increase the overall capacity to 30,000. French integrator Produc’son selected JBL Professional loudspeakers supplied by Freevox to replace the stadium’s aging audio system. In order to meet international EN 54-24 voice alarm safety standards and ensure a world-class experience, Produc’son hired Laurent Delenclos, technical director of Freevox, to design the stadium’s n
Germany - Adam Hall Group has announced the release of the LD Systems IPA Series. Comprising the DSP-based 4-channel IPA 412 T (120W) and the 240W IPA 424 T, these installation power amplifiers promise AV system integrators a high degree of performance and flexibility in daily planning and installation operations. The amps are suitable for medium to large installations in hotels, conference centres, educational institutions, houses of worship, and more. Built-in card slots allow these Class D power amplifiers to be optionally equipped with Ethernet, or Ethernet+Dante expansion cards, thereby making the IPA Series a central signal component operating in the background of modern fixed installation projects and a versatile and scalable solution to complement the constantly growing LD Systems installation portfolio. The four-channel IPA 412 T and IPA 424 T have built-in tr
UK - Songwriter and producer Dan McDougall is saving plenty of time on projects thanks to his recent investment in a Neve 1073OPX Octal microphone/line/instrument preamplifier, which is specifically designed to meet the needs of a modern studio environment. Dan’s writing space at Hoxa HQ in London is primarily based around an ‘in the box’ workflow but if he needs access to a larger recording facility, he can easily tap into the Hoxa HQ main studio. This has a control room equipped with a vintage Neve 8058 console with 31102 channel mic pre-amp/EQ, the circuitry and sound of which is almost identical to today’s 1073 variants. “The Hoxa HQ Neve console sounds amazing,” Dan says. “The 1073OPX is the first Neve unit I’ve purchased, but I’ve always been a huge fan of the Neve sound so I am very pleased to now own my own mic pre.” As a multi-instru
USA - For Victory Church, Westminster, CO, entering the live-stream world was something that they aimed to achieve within the next few years, but when the pandemic struck, it was a shift that they needed to make within a few weeks. With a limited budget and requirements for wireless capabilities, Pliant Technologies’ MicroCom XR digital wireless intercom system was the chosen solution. With MicroCom XR, production staff and volunteers can deploy a reliable solution for clear communication, helping productions - both in-person and live-streamed - go on without a glitch. “The Pliant system was the first intercom to be deployed at Victory Church,” says Krystle Thompson, creative director at Victory Church. “When looking at our options, I knew we needed a system that could handle upwards of five users, while allowing personnel to move freely in order to have multiple wir
China - Christie has announced that its 1DLP laser projectors are delivering highly immersive visuals in a new digital experience pavilion at the new Beijing Daxing International Airport, the world’s largest single-building airport terminal. Featured works by Van Gogh and Monet are projected on the walls in the main gallery using Christie DWU850-GS laser projectors. Located on the second level of the sprawling terminal building nicknamed “the Starfish” due to its star-shaped design, the Journey of Light and Shadow digital experience pavilion provides visitors with an immersive and interactive space to appreciate and experience art through the use of cutting-edge projection, audio, and interactive technologies. The venue consists of a preface hall and main gallery lit by 15 Christie DWU850-GS 1DLP laser projectors supplied, installed and commissioned by Chr
Denmark - German car manufacturer Audi launched its electric e-tron Sportback model in Denmark with a visuals-focused event powered by two Hippotizer Amba+ Media Servers. More than 30sq.m of LED screen was constructed at Audi Danmark’s Gladsaxe showroom, as a backdrop to a large stage upon which the e-tron Sportback was displayed. Audi Danmark’s marketing manager Morten Friis-Olsen approached Danish event lighting and visuals expert Showtech to deliver the visuals, lighting and staging for the launch, which was live streamed to both consumers and members of the car industry. “The Audi team shared the brief for the event with us, requesting a dynamic and bright look and feel to reflect the car’s ‘100% electric, 100% Audi’ tagline,” says Showtech’s Joachim Bay. “We translated this into the visuals, using Audi’s branding as the core of the creati
UK - The music industry has sadly lost another character with the passing of Phil Hildrow, an archetypal salesman, charmingly personable, slightly risqué loveable rogue. Phil died earlier this month, aged 75. During the ‘70s Phil worked for PACE-MM who pioneered the “cheap but serviceable” mixing consoles which launched the careers of so many bands on the pub circuits of the UK. The UK’s dominance in this market led to growing demand for ‘Made in GB’ products across mainland Europe. So, sensing the untapped potential for sales, Phil set off with a demo MM mixer in the boot of his trusty blue Vauxhall Cavalier to call on the music shops on the other side of the Channel and take orders, preferably large ones, prepaid. This launched Phil’s new love of travel, which along with his love of football and family stayed with him for life. Early in the
Australia - ARX is pleased to announce the launch of the new ARX Ultra deBalancer, a two-channel audio debalancer and switchable +4dB or -10dB level optimiser, specifically designed to handle the critical task of converting pro audio balanced outputs to unbalanced signals. With so many different consumer products in today’s ‘BYOD’ environment, you need to be prepared with the right equipment on hand to silently interface with unbalanced +4dB line level signal paths or the -10dB unbalanced inputs of low operating level professional and consumer electronics, says ARX. The Ultra deBalancer interface offers a straightforward solution with industry standard female amphenol XLR Inputs and transformer isolated and de-balanced 6.5mm jack, RCA and 3.5mm jack outputs to cover all plug types. As part of the ARX Audibox range of audio interfaces, the Ultra deBalancer feature
USA - The past 12 months challenged the AV industry in new ways, particularly when it came to sustaining and supporting partners and customers. LEA Professional saw the difficulties faced by system integrators and worked to connect with them and support their business through the use of cloud technology. Now, with the benefits of the cloud firmly embedded in the minds of industry stakeholders, LEA Professional expects there is no going back. “Integrators have been able to navigate the ever-changing environment by capitalising on proven, robust cloud technology from global leaders, such as Amazon Web Services, to provide continued support for customers and partners. It’s made it easy for integrators to help customers through various work-from-home situations and to navigate social distancing and other health protocols,” said Blake Augsburger, founder and CEO LEA Profess
USA - Department chair John Little has noticed a change in Media Arts & Technology degree programme applicants at Mount Wachusett Community College since its studio rebuild. “We are a small community college whose student body mostly commutes to campus from within 20 miles. Website photos from the renovations are now drawing audio students from hundreds of miles away, some of whom rent apartments so they can train here.” Five years on, the college is still enjoying the fruits of its Media Arts & Technology facility upgrade, which included a rebuild of five audio control rooms. Little commented on the new ASP8024 at the time: “We’re especially happy with the Audient console we put in Studio 5,” and he stands by his statement today. “I chose it before I knew how many colleges around the world use them. I insisted on an actual console with real audio paths o
South Africa - The Covid-19 restrictions on houses of worship in South Africa has seen many churches move to on-line services and upping their skills to deliver a professional broadcast. Empower Church in Pretoria recently invested in a Waves LV1 System with the addition of Audix ADX51 for crowd microphones, and along with their vibrant in-house audio engineer, Kgosi Rankhumise, a positive result has been achieved for those watching the service from home. “Over a year ago, the church took a big leap forward in upgrading their existing audio system with the purchase of a DiGiCo SD12,” explained Jaco Beukes of DWR Distribution. “They have really enjoyed the console and what it offers the engineers at Empower Church. We also supplied L-Acoustics loudspeakers comprising of six X8 front-fills, two X8 monitors and three Kiva delay speakers installed with amps. This combined
South Africa - It’s a new season for the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) in Pretoria who rode the Covid-19 wave and have turned their Performing Arts Diploma curriculum upside down with a different approach. The students are currently working alongside technical supply company MGG, to host a virtual stage, which will also be recorded for external examiners. “We are very excited to announce that all previous departments that worked within the Performing Arts have now merged into one Department of Performing Arts (DPA),” comments Janine Lewis, professor and HOD at TUT. “The six programmes we had before are being phased out while first-year students will now follow the new multi-disciplinary Diploma in Performing Arts and then go into a discipline stream of speciality where they can focus on Dance, TAD (Theatre, Art & Design which includes performance and te
UAE - Located next to Dubai’s Media and Internet City hub, the Grand Plaza Mövenpick Media City hotel features 235 rooms and suites, five restaurants/bars, a 1150m2 convention centre (including 800m2 Grand Ballroom), meeting rooms, rooftop lounge, gym, spa and swimming pool. Systems integrator Telematics was asked to install audio systems in the Grand Ballroom, spa/gym and five meeting rooms, delivering audio to match the hotel’s facilities and décor. Supplied by Thomsun Trading, the sound of the VXC series ceiling speakers was one of the reasons for choosing a Yamaha solution. The Grand Ballroom is mainly used for corporate events and weddings. For maximum flexibility, it can be divided into two or three smaller spaces, so an adaptable audio system was needed. Here, 22 VXC8 ceiling speakers were installed - in two groups of eight and one of six for the three zo
Canada - Beside the St Lawrence river in Montreal, the Parc Optimiste boasts expansive grounds for recreational activities or outdoor sports. The park also supports the local community in Sainte-Catherine by providing a wide range of events. In light of this, it needed a public address and entertainment system that could further support the community. The city’s head of events, Nicolas G. Bouchard, wanted to introduce a permanent solution towards the park’s audio needs that could provide audio and public support for any events that take place on the grounds. This was partly inspired by the positive response from local residents to the park’s Halloween 2020 theme, in which lighting and decorations were placed along the park’s walkway. Without an audio system, the city was unable to provide music to go with the theme, and the need for enhancing the park with audio equi
Australia - The Atomic Beer Project is a new microbrewery concept that debuted recently in the inner-Sydney suburb of Redfern. Its hoppy beers provide a complement to the pan-Asian cuisine that the operation specialises in. Although owners, Gage Roads Brew Co., hail from Western Australia, this is their first bricks and mortar incarnation. In addition to the Craft beers, also helping to draw in patrons - and keep them there - is a potent sound system from Martin Audio. Music is a core part of the concept, according to Atomic Brand lead, Clint O’Hanlon. “We have started sponsoring FBI radio, which is a youth radio network just down the street from us, and we’ll be hosting their DJs here,” he promises. One thing the Atomic team were unequivocal about was that there would be no compromise on sound. They chose Martin Audio loudspeakers, having had “excellen
UK - Collaborative Creations (CC) has announced its sales team partnership with AED Audio in the UK. CC founder and director, West End associate sound designer, Sam Vincent, confirms, “AED Audio has come up with a brilliant product offering in the Flex and Solid Series speakers. Incredibly versatile, they suit a wide range of applications and the 15" Front Loaded Solid15 sub has an impressive low range for a sub of its size. “It’s the accessories for the range, however, that represent the biggest step forward I have seen in a long time. As a system it’s very user friendly at every level, whether for a single install or for multi-application use, for example, in a multipurpose or multi-format venue, or for a hire company.” A division of the AED group, the AED Audio product range is inspired directly by the needs of AV production hire companies with whic
France - Solid State Logic has appointed Algam, distributor of professional audio products in France and Maghreb regions, as their sole distributor for sales and support across all four of SSL’s vertical markets of broadcast, live, studio and audio creation. For over 30 years Solid State Logic has provided sales and support services via their own subsidiary, SSL France, under the leadership of, Philippe Guerinet. SSL France has been responsible for the growth of SSL Live, System T broadcast and large-format studio consoles in the region and in recent years, the increasing range of ‘ACP’ audio creation products, including USB recording interfaces, high-performance small-scale mixers and hybrid production tools; Fusion and UF8. Philippe Guerinet, director of international sales comments: “We were looking for a new structure capable of supporting further growth i
Ukraine - Located on the Dnieper River in central-eastern Ukraine and with a population of almost a million, Dnipro is a dynamic and lively city, home to endless parks and green areas lining the river. It is also one of the country's major hubs for high tech, education, machine building, metallurgy, and trade. The city opened its Prebrezhniy Skver Park in September 2019 and chose DAS Audio to supply the sound systems for this new green area with large spaces almost completely exposed to the weather. Indigo Music, DAS Audio's distributor and installer of audiovisual solutions in Ukraine, commented that, "We needed to offer a solution that was 100% resistant to the different environmental conditions and that could also cover large spaces while delivering maximum intelligibility for both music and spoken messages.” The park offers an audiovisual laser light show
USA - Passion City Church (PCC) was born out of the Passion Movement, a decades old movement within the collegiate generation known for introducing songs that are sung all over the world, as well as vibrant, large-scale events, particularly the annual Passion Conference. This year’s conference kicked off 2021 on New Year’s Eve, engaging more than one million people online with stirring worship and teaching. PCC was started in Atlanta in 2008 through small gatherings in homes around the city. Public gatherings began in 2009, and the first permanent location opened at 515 Garson Drive shortly after that. The church’s priority on creating highly participatory and high energy worship environments extends to the church’s second location in the Atlanta suburb of Cumberland, where it recently opened a new facility with a 1,400-seat auditorium. The new site, which feat