Ireland - The first convention centre designed from the outset to be carbon-neutral, the multi award-winning Convention Centre Dublin (The CCD) opened in 2010. It has since become a landmark on the Dublin skyline while its world-class facilities, technical infrastructure and central location make it attractive to a wide range of international clients. Twenty-two separate, individually-configurable spaces are available for meetings and events of all kinds. At its heart is a 2,000-capacity auditorium (featuring a full theatrical production specification) in addition to a capacious exhibition space, extensive banqueting facilities, a further large theatre space in the Forum and six spacious areas in the magnificent glass-fronted foyer. Autograph Sales & Installations were recently approached to provide an upgrade path to the venue’s existing Clear-Com communications
UK - A.C. Entertainment Technologies (AC-ET) will demonstrate its extensive and exclusive portfolio of leading theatrical technologies - including new lighting, audio, rigging, and video products - at the ABTT Theatre Show 2019, taking place on 5th - 6th June at London’s Alexandra Palace. Highlights from AC-ET will include Chroma-Q's multi award-winning Color Force II cyc, wash & effects and Inspire house lighting LED fixtures, featuring colour-mixing homogenised optics. Showing at ABTT for the first time will be the Vista 3 by Chroma-Q lighting and media control system. Prolights fixtures on stand will include the Pixie Wash XB, a 280W single source LED wash luminaire and the Jetspot4Z, which features full CMY colour mixing and a custom optical system. Meanwhile, the Luminex Luminode Ethernet & DMX processor, first unveiled at Prolight + Sound, will al
UK - Following the launch of its new Dante-enabled I/O boxes, Allen & Heath has continued to expand its Everything I/O ecosystem with the addition of two new remote audio expanders, the GX4816 and the DX012. Addressing customer demands for a high-channel-count remote expander, the 96kHz GX4816 is a central hub for all your stage I/O, with a single cable link to SQ or dLive systems. Featuring 48 dLive mic preamps and 16 XLR outputs in a 4U chassis, GX4816 unlocks new I/O possibilities with 2 DX ports provided for further expansion or connection to a ME personal mixing system. Suitable for feeding IEMs and amplifier racks, the DX012 is a 1U output expander, once again for SQ or dLive systems. With flexible switching, its 12 XLR outputs are configurable as 12 analogue, eight analogue plus four stereo AES, or four analogue plus eight stereo AES outputs. A second DX012,
Belgium - Ancienne Belgique is steeped in musical history and is one of Brussels' most revered live music venues. A multi-application space spanning several floors and incorporating two live rooms and a recording studio, it’s often the first stop on the touring calendar for international acts, as well as a hotspot for up and coming local bands. Over the last 18 months, the venue has invested in two DiGiCo consoles in a bid to stay as flexible as possible: first, an SD5, which sits at monitor position and most recently, an SD12 which is now the venue's go-to FOH board. “All of our crew are capable of doing everything, and what's nice is that we are also interchangeable between the main hall and the club,” opens Ancienne Belgique's technical manager Mark Vrebos. “For example, a rock and roll show might be all-standing and full to the brim, but if we have jazz mus
USA - After outgrowing its long-time location in Tustin, California, Calvary Chapel Tustin (CCT) moved to nearby Santa Ana in 2015 leasing the main sanctuary from the First Church of the Nazarene. The two churches co-exist on the property with CCT occupying the 700-seat main sanctuary and First Nazarene holding services in the recently remodelled chapel. Based on the success of BESA-Bowls Engineering Sound & Acoustics’ recent sound system upgrades at Wildwood Calvary Chapel in Yucaipa, California, CCT contracted the design-build firm in early 2018 to facilitate much needed audio upgrades. BESA founder and senior sound designer, Darren Bowls, worked through a sound design that addressed the extremely high ceilings, split-block wall surfaces, and the voluminous nature of the room. Bowls felt CCT would benefit from a similar equipment combination he first implemented at W
UK - With less than 30 hours from load-in to showtime in a 600-capacity theatre, Orbital Sound’s Mike Thacker needed true plug-and-play functionality from his audio production package of Yamaha control systems and Nexo Geo M10 mid-size line array. Mike Thacker, Orbital Sound’s head of education, was commissioned to creatively design and facilitate the audio systems for a production of Starlight Express by the Coventry Youth Operetta Group. The assignment was a challenging one. The 65 young artistes of the YOG, many of them wearing radio mics, would be performing on roller-skates, dancing and singing on a track that encircled the stalls of the Albany Theatre. “Yes, right in front of the PA,” explains Thacker. “My main concern was whether we would be able to get enough gain before feedback.” The one-man audio crew took just 90 minutes to load in and ri
Europe - The Audio Engineering Society (AES) has announced that AES Vienna 2020, the 148th AES international pro audio convention, will be held on 25-28 May at the Austria Centre Vienna. Convention co-chairs are Piotr Majdak (senior researcher in acoustics at the Austrian Academy of Sciences’ Acoustics Research Institute) and Nadja Wallaszkovits (chief audio engineer for the Phonogrammarchiv sound archives of the Austrian Academy of Sciences and 2019 AES President), who will oversee the convention’s technical programme, exhibition and society functions, in conjunction with an assembled team of industry professionals, students and event partners and sponsors. For end users, researchers, educators and students, AES Vienna will be the place to commemorate the International Year of Sound and explore A World of Audio with audio professionals and peers from around
Europe - Designed to solve “the real-world challenges of sound engineers for whom time is always of the essence”, SONICUE is Dynacord’s new system-focused software. It supports Dynacord TGX and IPX series amplifiers as well as all amplifier models fitted with the RCM-28 OMNEO Network & DSP Module. SONICUE’s interaction design provides “a clear and comprehensive system overview, making it quicker to set up, tune and operate sound reinforcement systems with minimum effort”. Previewed at ISE and Prolight + Sound, SONICUE is a system-based solution which can be immediately understood by users at every level, helping them get the job done no matter how simple or complex it may be, says the company. System designs can be produced from scratch or based on imported files from loudspeaker prediction applications - such as the forthcoming Preview software
NEXT-proaudio has developed an integrated rack solution PXA8001 (powered by Powersoft), designed for optimum performance flexibility and setup simplicity. The new rack is the heart of the system and was configured to interface seamlessly allowing multiple configurations for the entire NEXT-proaudio’s PX System, capable of driving a very wide range of rig configurations with absolute reliability and ample headroom. Composed by a very powerful 8000W Powersoft amplifier module, featuring four output channels (4x2000W @4ohm has been specifically designed for multi-way loudspeakers and asymmetric loads. The PXA8001 features a new power supply design equipped with PFC and featuring Smart Rails Management, to grant efficiency in all the driven ways. The high immunity to EMI interference is also a characteristic of this new rack. This PX System Rack features a fixed switching
UK - Immersive audio and show control specialists Out Board and Sound Technology, Harman Professional’s UK distributor for audio and lighting products, will collaborate on a spatial audio demo at this week’s ABTT Theatre Show. Out Board will present a sampler of TiMax immersive audio soundscapes, along with panoramic and 3D spatialised music playback using a multi-channel immersive sound system of JBL's VTX A8 line array and AE Compact point source loudspeakers. There will also be updates on some of the latest TiMax innovations, including the new HARDCore FPGA spatial processing engine for TiMax SoundHub, and the TiMax TrackerD4 all-purpose performer tracking system. Sound Technology will demonstrate the VTX A8 system including the latest hardware accessory products and updates to the Line Array Calculator and ArrayLink software applications. The demos
USA - Howards Grove is a small community and suburb of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, and Howards Grove High School serves over 300 students from Howards Grove and nearby communities. Its music department is well-developed and extremely active, with three choirs, and concert, jazz, symphonic, and marching bands. It also has an active drama department that puts on a performance every year. Surprisingly, Howards Grove High School made do for years without an auditorium of its own by appropriating the gymnasium, the cafeteria, classrooms, or even neighbouring schools’ auditoriums. That’s all changed now with the completion of its own 450-seat auditorium adjacent to the gymnasium, complete with the high-fidelity and even coverage of Danley Sound Labs loudspeakers and subwoofers. “The students at Howards Grove High School are very active in the performing arts, especially musi
USA - Sprint Centre, a flexible arena in downtown Kansas City, has recently reached out to local integrator Digital Sound Systems, Inc. (DSS) to explore options for updating its arena sound system used for sporting events. DSS was tasked with updating portions of the arena’s control room, as well as audio and video facilities. After thorough research and consideration, DSS was able to provide Sprint Centre with an entirely new front-line sound system, including new speakers, subs and amplifiers, thanks to the powerful and cost-effective solutions provided by L-Acoustics Kara(i) loudspeakers, SB18i subwoofers, and LA4X amplified controllers. “Sprint Centre consistently ranks as one of the top venues in the US, so it was important for us to make sure that we were advising them on the best plan of action for years to come,” says DSS CEO Jeremy Dixon. “A simple am
Europe - Martin Audio has appointed Audio-Technica Iberia as its distributor in Spain, effective 1 June. The partnership had been put in place at ISE in February and confirmed at Prolight+Sound in April. It follows the appointment of Audio-Technica Germany as Martin Audio’s German distributor in September 2018. Audio-Technica Iberia MD, Sylvain Hochart, comments: “We were looking for a premium loudspeaker brand with pedigree and high value. Martin Audio was our number one choice - particularly after the new arrangement had started so positively in Germany.” Bradley Watson, Martin Audio international sales director, adds: “A pan-European deal was always part of the plan, with the advantage of a single point ordering process. Audio-Technica Iberia has a very good network of territory specialists and collectively they bring a lot of experience. We look forwa
USA - Audinate has announced its CEO Lee Ellison is retiring in September, with the company’s CTO and co-founder Aidan Williams (pictured) set to replace him in the role. Ellison is to retire on 13 September following the release of the company’s 2019 full year financial results. David Krall, Audinate’s chairman, comments: “Lee has been a key contributor to the growth of Audinate, and the results speak for themselves. Under Lee’s leadership as CEO over the past 11 years, Audinate has become the global market leader in audio networking for the professional AV industry. Lee led the company through its successful IPO in June 2017, and since its listing, Audinate has consistently delivered strong results and record growth. “Together with Lee and the Board, we developed a succession plan over the last year to ensure a smooth transition of the CEO role. Ou
USA - Peavey Commercial Audio has partnered with Neets to announce the availability of a driver for PCA’s Digitool family of digital audio processing units for matrixed zone processing. Shown for the first time in the US at InfoComm 2019, the newly-ratified driver is currently available for the Digitool MX16 and Digitool Live devices and works with all Neets AV control interfaces with IP connectivity. These include the feature-rich TanGo control system that enables intuitive touch control through Neets hardware, Android/iOS devices or standard browsers allowing for custom-build GUIs. The Neets/Digitool driver developed by PCA offers an IP-based command set including input and output channel level and mute control, level and mute functionality for all audio matrix points, and the ability to trigger internal pre-set loads. PCA operations manager, James Kennedy, s
UK - Following its UK launch at PLASA Focus last month, EM Acoustics is to showcase Halo-B at the ABTT Theatre Show in London’s Alexandra Palace. The third system in the Halo family is a medium format, 110° horizontal dispersion line array for indoor and outdoor sound reinforcement. As its name suggests, Halo-B sits between Halo-A and Halo-C in both physical size and overall system output. As such it is perhaps the most versatile system in the family and ideally suited to live performance applications in theatres, concert halls and other performance venues. Halo-B will feature amongst a range of other of EM Acoustics’ firm favourites for performance venue applications, including the award-winning ultra-compact EMS-41 which delivers class-leading performance in a truly bijou package. Halo-B is a two-way reflex-loaded medium format line array element featuring
UK - On Joe Bonamassa’s current world tour, system engineer Michael Grabarczyk relies on Outline’s Newton FPGA-based processing platform. Bonamassa played a three-night residency at London’s Royal Albert Hall in April as part of his European spring tour, for which Adlib provided a full audio package, including part of their Newton stock. Michael comments, “Newton is an extremely capable device. A single 1RU unit replaces a multitude of current industry standard devices. The clocking flexibility, simplistic routing, and plentiful IO makes Newton a dream to use. Each output has gain, delay, polarity, layers of EQ, and every filter type including both types of all pass filters. The possible uses for the device are incredible. “Not only can the Newton make a whole rack of gear disappear, but sonically it is very transparent. When applying a filter, you hear the f
UK - London-based technical event specialists Light Fantastic Production Services supported Voxburner with a full design and technical solution for YMS London. YMS LDN is Europe’s largest youth marketing festival, part of a series of global events demystifying the changing trends, habits and attitudes of the consumers of the future. Held over two days at the Old Truman Brewery, YMS19 LDN was the largest Youth Marketing Strategy event to date, welcoming almost 2,000 delegates and over 150 speakers. Working closely with Voxburner to deliver an engaging visitor experience, Light Fantastic Production Services provided a comprehensive equipment and support package covering all technical elements, including lighting, audio, video, set and staging. Commenting on the show, LFPS project manager Andrew Maxted says: “Handling all aspects of the technical requireme
South Korea - At a recent a stadium show in Seoul, the LA Philharmonic Orchestra took the music of celebrated composer John Williams to new level, incorporating giant screen projection and an epic soundscape provided by L-Acoustics L-ISA Hyperreal Sound technology. The Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra (aka 'LA Phil'), led by music & artistic director Gustavo Dudamel, has been celebrating its 100th year with the 2018/19 LA Phil 100 centennial programme. The season includes runs at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl, the free Celebrate LA open-air festival, and a global tour that includes seven residencies in seven cities, and performances on three continents. That journey started with LA Phil's 2019 Spring tour of Seoul, South Korea, and Tokyo, and included a landmark performance of film music by John Williams in the Seoul Olympic Park Gymnastics
UK - CUK Audio has appointed Alex Ronald to the role of operations manager, taking responsibility for the new CUK audio distribution centre in East Kilbride along with the management of all the company’s logistics and customer service functions. Ronald has previously held the roles of group head of logistics at Hornby Hobbies and European logistics manager at OKI Europe. Speaking of the new role, he explains: “Moving from working for very large companies to a growing SME with a close team of colleagues is extremely exciting. I’m already busy setting up the new warehouse and look forward to working with our suppliers across four continents and servicing our customers in the UK and Ireland.” CUK Audio director, Stuart Cunningham adds: “Alex has already made a big impact in the few weeks he has been with us. To continue growing our business and improving the s
USA - AV Stumpfl will present its new AT64-SHIFT system for large mobile projection screens and the new PIXERA mini media server at this year's InfoComm in Orlando. With the AT64-SHIFT, it's possible to assemble a large mobile projection screen and to adjust its height in a matter of minutes, says the company. No extra measuring is needed to ensure that the frame is level, due to a clearly marked height scale. Based on the same principles as the T32-SHIFT, the AT64-SHIFT projection screen legs can be used for much larger mobile projection screens and are compatible with all mobile AV Stumpfl screen systems. Another highlight of AV Stumpfl's InfoComm booth will be the new PIXERA mini hardware. PIXERA mini is an ultra-compact media server, perfect for digital signage and multi-display applications. The PIXERA mini is a 1U and ½ 19“ product. Two PIXERA min
UK - Allen & Heath has released V1.4 firmware for its SQ series, delivering a raft of features and new processing options ported from the company’s flagship dLive digital mixing system. V1.4 unveils a dynamic trio of powerful audio tools, comprising Multiband Compressors, Dynamic EQ and De-Esser, all straight from the FX Rack of dLive. These optional add-ons allow SQ users to have up to eight instances that can be inserted on any input channel, group or mix. Giving engineers more preparation time away from the console, V1.4 also introduces the eagerly awaited offline mode for SQ’s MixPad App, which is now also being released for PC and Mac (previously iOS and Android only). Offline mode enables engineers to create entire show files without the need for an SQ, manage shows and scenes offline, and send and receive entire shows over a wired or wireless network.
UK - At ABTT 2019, Point Source Audio (PSA) will unveil the GO-8 Series of microphones featuring the GO-8WD, a moldable microphone that shapes into a variety of mic styles. The company says GO-8 allows the sound team to create a custom actor microphone style as they need it. Designed for theatre, the moldable GO-8WD-SK starts out flat but can be shaped by an A2 or mic expert into a collar mic, halo mic, or a headset mic for the left or right side. The company reports that while these are the most common styles in theatre, the GO-8WD’s moldable format can be an instant problem solver in a multitude of mic’ing situations that are either unexpected or challenging. “For me, the GO-8WD is a great solution for precisely fitting a headset-style mic on an actor; every aspect from the ear hook to the boom length can be formed exactly as needed to get the best soun
Europe - Portugese acoustic treatment specialist Artnovion has announced the launch of its Aries series of diffuser products created specifically for professional audio applications. The Aries Diffuser was designed using a variety of diffusion techniques and offers a clear advance in performance over traditional QRD design. Inspired by traditional numeric sequence diffusers, it’s composed of asymmetrical multi-depth wells, in which specific wells use a folded-depth technique to boost the mid-low diffusion range of the panel. While the panel itself is only 60mm thick, the extended wells on the diffuser are designed to be effective at 160Hz and 400Hz, with a linear diffusion pattern from 700Hz upwards, delivering previously unheard-of diffusion capacity for its size. The asymmetric wells are also arranged in an optimised sequence to prevent lobbing when used in
