Myanmar - KV2 Audio products have recently been introduced to a new region thanks to an investment from Myanmar-based firm Htat Wah Win Trading Co. The company presented KV2 Audio in a joint presentation with Shure Microphones at the Shangrila Hotel in the country’s capital Yangon last month. The event was attended by around 200 invitees and featured presentations from KV2’s Dave Croxton and Angus Davidson, who handle sales and technical support respectively for Asia Pacific. Thura Aung, managing director of Htat Wah Win Trading Co, first heard KV2’s products on demo in China and was impressed by their compact size and sound quality. Aung’s company imports various products into Myanmar and he had started to investigate the pro audio market. “While we had plenty of choices with a wide range of lower cost Chinese manufactured products, I was really looking for
Japan - Uplink’s Tokyo cinemas can be described as mini theatres, including the city’s smallest such venue, which is located in the city’s Shibuya district. The company has embarked on a quest to offer cinema goers the best indie and foreign films in a country where Japanese blockbusters are becoming increasingly popular at the expense of both Hollywood movies and foreign arthouse titles. Over the last decade, the number of mini theatres has declined as multiplexes have flourished, but Uplink and its president, Takashi Asai, have remained true to their belief that the future is bright for arthouse mini theatres in Tokyo. The way to ensure this, in their opinion, is to offer a pristine AV experience to their customers. As a result, Uplink has chosen Powersoft amplifier platforms to drive the bespoke audio systems in its venues in the Kichijo-ji area, one of the c
Canada - Corey Hart has sold more than 16m records worldwide and earlier this year was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. The singer-songwriter recently undertook his first full arena tour of Canada since 1986, having twice taken long sabbaticals from the road during his 35-year career. The hotly anticipated Never Surrender tour demonstrated that he has lost nothing of his ageless star quality and reviews of the shows praised his skill, showmanship and the quality of his powerful eight-piece band. Supplying audio for the shows was production specialist Solotech and its choice of Coda Audio’s compact AiRAY system to deliver the Corey Hart message to his fans proved a great success. Front of House engineer Gary Stokes (k.d. lang, Adam Lambert) enjoyed his first experience with the system and was in no doubt about its qualities. “Usually, the bigges
Switzerland - Around every 20 years, the ‘once in a generation’ Fête des Vignerons takes over the Swiss town of Vevey for a month in July and August. Featuring nearly 6,400 performers, musicians and singers, 2,000 lighting fixtures, 612 loudspeakers and over 300 channels of wireless microphones, 11 networked Yamaha digital mixing systems were needed for the centrepiece production of the 2019 event. Fête des Vignerons is a spectacular event which pays homage to the centuries-old traditions of the Brotherhood of Winegrowers, which covers the area from Pully to Vevey, in the Lavaux region of Switzerland. The centrepiece production takes place in a temporary arena, built on the banks of Lac Léman (Lake Geneva) and depicts a year in the life of the vineyard over 20 scenes. Taking place from 18 July to 11 August, this year’s production comprised 23 shows, plus the c
UK - Independent event production specialists Light Fantastic Production Services returned to The Old Truman Brewery, London to support innovation festival Unbound with a complete event solution. Featuring presentations by a host of leading brands, the two-day symposium attracted over 5,000 visitors. The LFPS team worked with Unbound to transform the capacious venue into a series of zones, including the Main Stage, Future Stage, Networking Zone, Partners Lounge plus individually-branded spaces for over 140 exhibitors. The guest speaker presentations and panel style discussions were hosted within custom designed auditoria, built from the ground up by the LFPS team. Covering every aspect of the installation LFPS provided all lighting, audio, video and staging along with an extensive suite of stylish exhibition stands, digital event branding and signage. Comme
USA - The Sound Reinforcement Track sessions at the AES New York 147th Audio Engineering Society International Pro Audio Convention (16-19 October at the Javits Centre) will offer “insights for sound professionals of today and tomorrow”, say organisers. “This year, we have once again gathered top industry experts and manufacturers at the pinnacle of live event production and sound reinforcement to share their hard-won knowledge,” comments AES New York sound reinforcement chair, Henry Cohen. “From foundations of systems design, to the latest in the science and technology of audio perception, the AES New York Sound Reinforcement events offer unprecedented access to the latest from the industry’s top researchers and gear designers, as well as the engineers that exemplify best practices in the craft of sound reinforcement.” The AES New York Sound Reinforceme
Europe - Premium cable manufacturer PROCAB is introducing an extensive new range of CPR-compliant cables. This range is designed to be used in applications where CPR classification is required to offer the safest possible solution to installed cabling. The Construction Products Regulation (CPR) is an EU regulation for installation cables, classifying cables based on their fire performance. The standardisation is introduced to improve the fire safety in buildings as in case of a fire, most casualties are a result of the toxic smokes. This new cable range will consist of loudspeaker, microphone, Cat 6, Cat 6A and even Cat 7 types of cables, available in 100m and 300m variants, keeping possible surpluses to an absolute minimum. PROCAB extensively tested their tailored made cable range in the harshest environments on three criteria: smoke concentration, burning dro
Thailand - Mahajak Development Co recently outfitted the Toyota Buzz Co headquarters with a Harman Professional Solutions networked AV system to deliver audio and video in nine locations. Toyota Buzz Vibhavadi is a Toyota dealership and headquarters of the Toyota Buzz dealership sales channel. In order to broadcast and distribute AV content throughout the facilities - and to eight additional branch locations - Toyota Buzz recruited the help of pro audio distributor Mahajak Development. Mahajak deployed a networked AV system in the boardroom, hall, fitness room, sky garden and mobile room to provide advanced audio and video control. “After thorough consideration, our team designed and installed a Harman system that seamlessly delivers high-fidelity audio and video across multiple locations to meet the specific requirements of the client,” says Pongsakorn Kanchanach
USA - With a career spanning 19 years, 12 songs that have made Billboard's country charts, and word of a new major label record deal in the offing, country artist Craig Morgan is on the road this summer, touring with new gear in the form of an Allen & Heath dLive S5000 console/DM0 MixRack at front of house, an SQ-7 for monitors, and four DX168 I/O expanders on-deck. “I had been looking for a new console since last year,” opens Morgan’s FOH engineer, Robert Harmon. “I narrowed down my search to three, but none of them worked out. Then I ran across a console I didn’t recognise online. It looked high-end. It turned out to be an Allen & Heath S5000. Having logged thousands of hours on a GL2400 and other Allen & Heath analogue products in the past, I have to admit my mind was having a hard time wrapping itself around this new digital offering.”
South Africa - Stage Audio Works is celebrating the success it has seen at Mediatech 2019. With a two-storey booth design, the company made a statement on the show floor as visitors looked to find out more about its latest audio, visual and staging solutions. The company succeeded in winning a number of deals over the three-day event. “Mediatech only takes place once every two years, so we have spent a lot of time and energy ensuring that we can maximise our presence at the show,” reflects Shaun Xavier, marketing manager at Stage Audio Works. “The response that we have had over the three days has more than justified this effort. We have been able to spend time with old friends and make some strong new contacts, as well as writing a significant amount of new business.” This success has been boosted by the support that the company has received from the various br
UK - Austrian Audio and UK distributor Sound Technology report that Austrian Audio OC818 and OC18 microphones, including a limited edition OC818 Studio Set Launch Edition, are shipping now. The new OC18 and OC818 large diaphragm condenser microphones, made in Vienna, both featuring the same handmade capsule at their heart. Royal Marines commemorate fallen comrades with EM Acoustics The single-diaphragm OC18 and dual-diaphragm OC818 both feature a new handmade ceramic CKR12 capsule, resulting in no compromise in sound between the two models. In fact, any OC18 and OC818 can be used as a matched pair due to the extreme precision of our manufacturing and measuring processes. Since the OC18 and OC818 are sonically identical your choice is based only on application. The OC18 features a classic cardioid pick-up pattern and includes a selectable high-pass filter plus a
UK - The annual Marines on the Green memorial concert in the Kentish coastal town of Deal took on a special significance this year as it commemorated the 30th anniversary of the IRA bombing in Walmer barracks that killed 11 bandsmen. An unprecedented 12,000 people attended the event which was also an opportunity to upgrade the sound system from EM Acoustics’ compact Halo-C line array to the recently released medium format Halo-B system. System tech Dave Shepherd, who has been involved with the Marines on the Green event for many years, felt that with the increased audience expected for the 30th anniversary concert, Halo-B would be the right choice. “We’ve used the Marines’ own Halo-C system in previous years, but with so many more people expected this year, it was the ideal scenario for the Royal Marines to experience HALO-B in action.” Shepherd specified t
UK - The latest production from Space Productions, the in-house company at off West End performance venue The Space, tells a story never really told, against a dynamic and eye-opening immersive sound design by the company’s Keri Chesser, who added impressive realism and intense drama using TiMax. Spitfire Sisters is the tale of the British and American women in the British Air Transport Auxiliary who, at the height of World War Two, were trained to use just a map and a compass to fly planes from the manufacturers to where they were needed in the action. Using TiMax object-based spatial rendering Keri was able to depict action such as the intimate internal voices of the women’s thoughts whilst flying, by both isolating them for clarity while slightly diffusing them for dramatic impact. Chesser explains: “We were able to make the sound of the aeropla
UK - Adlib supplied full production - sound, lighting, video and rigging - plus crew for the recent UK tour by Daryl Hall and John Oates, whose impressive string of top 40 hits stretch back to the 1970s. After the UK tour, an Adlib control package and video servers went on to the Latin American leg of the tour, and then returned to Europe with the addition of a full audio package for the third segment and euro festival run. Adlib’s Craig Hamilton - based in the Glasgow office - project managed and co-ordinated all things sonic, liaising closely with Daryl Hall & John Oates’ audio team of FOH engineer Chris Salamone, monitor engineer George Squires and US supplier Firehouse’s stage tech, Jeff Child. Adlib’s Billy Bryson was the system tech, Jay Petch was the monitor and stage tech for the UK section of the tour and Billy was also the tech on the Europe
Portugal - Audio Stage has made a major investment in speakers, subwoofers and amplifiers from the Portuguese manufacturer NEXT-proaudio. The new equipment further expands the company’s extensive inventory of audio gear. NEXT-proaudio reports that this is one of the largest sales in the manufacturer’s history, comprising 32 LA212x, 28 LA122A, 16 LA122.v2, 38 LAs418G, 12 LAs118A, eight LAs418A, four N-RAK 80, two N-RAK 40, 16 LAm114xA, 12 LAm115, four PXL118, two PXH64, two PXA8001, eight PFA15, eight Matrix M8, eight Kubix K5, two HFA118sHP, two HFA112, two HFA112s and two HFA206p. “This purchase enable us to bring the very best audio support to the large variety of shows we manage. This top-of-the-line equipment opens new opportunities for us, from small to big events”, says Audio Stage’s founder Paulo Baixinho, “Our collaboration with NEXT-proaudio goes b
USA - Using unfamiliar gear can often present challenging situations for recording professionals. But taking that leap into the unknown can also lead to new experiences that help you to develop better quality recording solutions. This is something that producer and engineer Siegfreid Meier experienced when recording a new live album for punk icons, Face To Face, using the JoeCo Blackbox BBR64-Dante recorder as part of his setup for the first time. The 250-capacity venue of Saint Vitus in Brooklyn, NYC, presented a challenge for Meier’s usual recording set-up. “The stage at the venue is tiny – there’s barely enough room for the band and their gear,” he explains. “I did a little bit of research beforehand and I thought the long runs of Dante would probably be the best way to record the show without leaving all of my gear on the stage.” With this decision ma
Russia - A&T Trade and Music Trade have deployed Martin Audio’s WPL PA on the main stage of the Zolotoy Gorod eco park, one of the largest country parks in Russia, located near the city of Tula. The park operates year round and welcomes guests from all over the world. Music Trade, A&T Trade’s Tula-based partner, were requested to design a sound system that would serve artists all summer long. The main stage of the Zolotoy Gorod presents a multi-genre line-up featuring artists for pop, folk, orchestra, rock, electronic and theatrical performances. "We needed a universal speaker system that would sound great for any challenge,” says Sergey Bobrov, owner of Music Trade. The scalable resolution of WPL offers greatly improved coverage consistency and control compared to a standard line array and provides a flexible pathway to advanced array control.
UK - The 2019 UK edition of the art and music festival WOMAD once again featured the d&b Soundscape, delivering an enhanced live sound experience that equally served the dynamic range of programme, the touring front of house engineers, the artists, and the musically inquisitive audiences. The WOMAD d&b Soundscape stage line up featured some of the most inspiring artists and performances of this year’s festival, including the acoustic mastery of Saving Grace featuring Robert Plant, drum and bass DJ LTJ Bukem, Kenya’s Muthoni Drummer Queen, and Roosevelt Collier, whose blues, rock and gospel sound was described as ‘dirty funk swampy grime’. The d&b Soundscape stage is the result of a relationship between Real World Records - the music label owned by the founder of WOMAD, Peter Gabriel - and the d&b team. Born from a mutual ambition to enhance the
Saudi Arabia - The inaugural edition of Jeddah World Fest on July 18 took place in the grounds of King Abdullah Sports City, Jeddah, and attracted a sell-out crowd of almost 40,000. This was the largest music festival held in Saudi. Protec delivered an extensive audio, lighting and rigging package for their client The Manual on behalf of Roqu Media. This event ties in with Vision 2030, a progressive plan which sees the country open up as an entertainment destination and relax some of its stricter laws around events. With the country’s General Entertainment Authority set to inject upwards of an estimated $60bn into the sector over the next decade, Jeddah World Fest is the first of many events which will fuel the AV and events sector in the Middle East. Featured artists included Janet Jackson, 50 Cent, Chris Brown, Liam Payne, Steve Aoki, Tyga, Future, R3wire and Varsk
UK - The upcoming PLASA Show (15-17 September, London Olympia) will enjoy "huge support" from the pro audio industry, with more brands debuting at the tradeshow and an increased number of live demos also taking place, PLASA has announced. Among the companies supporting the show are L-Acoustics, Coda Audio, d&b audiotechnik and Void Acoustics. The PLASA Show has also doubled the amount of audio demonstrations on offer with the inclusion of three Audio Lounges and a new live feature, Stage to Studio, held in association with Sound on Sound and Headliner magazines. PLASA MD Peter Heath comments: “PLASA has worked hard over the past few years to make the show an essential destination for all things audio. As a result, we are confident that this year’s show will inspire professionals working across the audio industry.” Among the brands
USA - Professional AV systems integrator Sound Designs has completed the design of a new sound system for St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in Hockessin, Delaware. With roots that can be traced back to the 1700s, the current church was built in the 1960s with transepts forming its T-shaped layout and wooden pews facing a centre sanctuary stage area. With a large congregation, the church holds two daily mass services and six weekend services. A number of contractors were invited to bid for the project, with Sound Designs’ Community E Series solution being chosen as the preferred design. John Dezell from Sound Designs explains: “Some proposed hanging array loudspeakers, but this would have disrupted the visual aesthetics of the space and blocked views of the recently installed stained glass windows. With a high, beamed ceiling and reflective surfaces we needed a s
UK - AV solutions rental company Video Design has reported a busy summer, including work on high-profile tours and festivals. “We started the summer run casually with a really successful tour for Rita Ora in May,” reports company head Alex Leinster. “Then mid June and production manager, Steve Voudouris asked us to support a quick sweep through the UK arenas plus a couple of shows on the continent for Lynyrd Skynyrd. Nice camera package, large rear screen full of lovely content - no dramas. And things soon hotted up.” Leinster continues: “Stormzy commanded the stage at Glastonbury, supported by the outstanding vision of creative director, Chris ‘Bronkski’ Jablonski fused with LD Tim Routledge’s lighting. Production manager, Joel Stanley pulled it all together at extremely short notice, and yes, we sweated some bullets assembling the diverse elements of
UK - Green Hippo welcomed 18 of its most advanced Hippotizer practitioners to its latest UK ‘super user’ event in July. A regular fixture in the Green Hippo diary, the event was hosted at the Leeds office of Hippotizer dealer A.C. Entertainment Technologies, giving the product team an opportunity to bring these leading Hippotizer experts up to date with the latest features, developments and initiatives. Additionally, it provides a forum for the exchange of highly-informed feedback and ideas from those working most closely with Green Hippo’s technology in a broad array of show environments. “We run these events every six months or so,” says Tom Etra, senior technical sales manager at Green Hippo. “They are incredibly useful, both for us and our users. They’re an open forum for discussion and feedback with users who know our products inside and out. H
UK - A respected sound engineer will record and mix live performers to demonstrate the intricacies of mixing and capturing live sound as part of a new initiative at the upcoming PLASA Show (15-17 September, Olympia London). Running from 3pm on Sunday 15 September, and Monday, 16 September, Stage to Studio - organised by PLASA alongside Sound On Sound and Headliner Magazine - will feature Simon Todkill, chief engineer at London’s Miloco Studios, who has worked with the likes of Kanye West, Matt Corby, Hiatus Kaiyote, Charli XCX, Movement and The Griswolds. Todkill will offer advice on his techniques, microphone choices and placements, step-by-step mix decisions, as well as insight on how to maximise multi-track recordings. After the sessions, the audio stem files will be made available to the audience and a competition will launch, inviting people t
