UK - Stage Electrics has been appointed to supply film and TV studio lighting hoists, production lighting, sound, video and comms infrastructure and motorised grid systems to Leeds Beckett’s new Creative Arts building. The scope of the contract covers five film & TV studios, three performing arts studios, music studios and mixing & screening rooms, a 180-seat theatre, an 80-seat studio theatre and a 230-seat cinema for film screenings. The building, currently under construction and due to complete in 2020, will house the university’s School of Film and Music & Performing Arts department. Engaged by SES Engineering Services, on behalf of the main contractor, Downing Construction, Stage Electrics is set to begin on site in June of 2019, with the company’s Matthew Addison assigned as project manager for the development. He comments: “The term ‘
USA - Founded in 1968, Klondike Sound quickly became known as a preferred sound system provider for folk and jazz festivals in northeastern USA, including the Newport Folk Festival. The company also provided tour support for Ani DiFranco for 20 years and supplied sound systems for a wide variety of events throughout the region. Now owned by partners Justin Anderson, Jason Raboin, Dustin Yager, and Chris Kelly, Klondike Sound mostly focuses on shows in New England, although the company still provides some touring support. Raboin, for example, has engineered for Joan Baez for the past 17 years, and is currently serving as production manager, front-of-house and monitor engineer for Baez’s 2018 Farewell Tour, using a Klondike Sound system that includes Linea Research 44 Series power amplifiers. Anderson and Raboin discovered Linea Research amplifiers early in 2017, when
Japan - Japan’s Imperial Theatre, located in central Tokyo along with a host of important facilities such as the Imperial Palace and the Congress, was built in 1911 and gained popularity as the first European style theatre in Japan. During the summer, as part of a refurbishment project, the theatre’s audio system was upgraded and now includes DiGiCo SD7T and SD10T consoles. The theatre sees famous Japanese actors and actresses performing in original shows, West End productions such as Les Miserables and Miss Saigon and Broadway musicals. Known locally as ‘Teigeki’, the theatre is now owned by Toho Co., a Japanese film, theatre, production and distribution company. Last July, Teigeki finished its refurbishment, which included the installation of the DiGiCo SD10T, SD-Rack, SD-MINI Rack and SD-Nano Rack with new 32Bit ADC/ DAC cards, which were sup
Finland - AV Marketing Finland has become the new distributor for Martin Audio, effective 1 January. Training and marketing has already commenced, with roadshows, seminars, workshops and many other initiatives lined up for 2019. Jyrki Mäkinen, who joined AV Marketing Finland last year, will become a de-facto product manager. “The first and most important issue was to check loudspeaker ranges suitable for pro users and the installation market,” says Mäkinen. “The focus quickly turned to Martin Audio whose Finnish distribution had previously been handled from Sweden. With an extensive background in pro audio, he contacted Martin Audio MD, Dom Harter, whom he already knew - and hence the seeds were sewn for a co-operation. Mäkinen adds: “AV Marketing Finland is an extremely experienced provider of presentation equipment - but in order to serv
USA - Atlona has promoted industry veteran Blake Jochum to the role of territory manager for Florida effective immediately, following a very successful period as an inside sales representative. Jochum will represent Atlona’s commercial and residential AV product lines, and support David Pendleton, Southeast regional manager, to cover the many business opportunities that exist state-wide. Jochum will also work closely with Atlona’s state-wide partner network to drive sales and business development. He reports to Scott Ettinger, director of sales, Eastern region. Jochum has spent the majority of his career in Florida, and has developed a strong network of industry relationships along the way. Following six years as an AV programmer and lighting technician for Pensacola-area nightclubs, Jochum joined All Pro Sound as corporate sales manager, integrated systems.
The Netherlands - Immersive audio and show control specialists OutBoard will demo the TiMax 500-series software which enables immersive spatial audio rendering and show programming workflows in live, presentation and experience applications, while also featuring selectable skins optimised for outdoors and show conditions. Based on detailed input from leading sound design associates, the new TiMax StageSpace allows auto-calculation of dynamic delay-matrix spatialisation objects directly from a map of the venue, speakers and audience/guest spaces. TiMax spatial objects can be quickly auto-rendered and adapted for different shapes and sizes of presentation and experiential spaces, or stage, audience and audio system configurations. Objects can be fine-tuned by the user, because, as OutBoard asserts “experienced sound designers will tell you it’s the last few millisec
USA - The Lesher Centre for the Arts forms a cultural cornerstone for the bustling downtown of Walnut Creek, California. Since its original construction and opening as the Nuthouse in 1967 and its subsequent reinvestment and expansion as the Lesher Centre for the Arts in 1990, the centre has attracted top theatrical talent and is considered the preeminent performance venue in Contra Costa County. Recently, local AV integration firm Premier Media Integration designed and installed a new sound system using Danley Sound Labs loudspeakers and subwoofers in the Margaret Lesher Theatre, which greatly improved intelligibility, impact, and gain-before-feedback. Of the centre’s four theatres, the Margaret Lesher Theatre is intermediate in seating capacity at 300. It’s commonly used for corporate events, musicals, and dramatic performances, with seating arrayed in a w
Norway - Even before Norway's inaugural Festningen festival began, event organisers Momentium, Trondheim Live and Sky Agency promised a 'magical experience' for all. Public reaction bore that out, and the event has now claimed the top spot as Central Norway's largest and most successful EDM, pop, hip hop, and urban music event, with Festningen 2019 already confirmed for next summer. The festival's venue was the 17th century fortress Kristiansten Festning in Southeast Trondheim. However, nearby residential developments meant that local concern over noise pollution was one of the organiser's big challenges. A careful consultation process between Scandec (L-Acoustics Norwegian certified provider distributor), L-Acoustics, and Momentium ensured the best sound reinforcement solution by deploying an L-Acoustics K2 system with an event-specific configuration developed to emphasize
Europe/Asia - Two teams will take part in the 2019 Mongol Rally to raise money for technical entertainment charity Backup. The rally, which takes place in July and spans 10,000 miles from the Czech Republic to Ulan Ude in Russia, requires participants to ride a very small vehicle, with no support or set route to the finish line, which must be crossed in four to eight weeks. Team Backup, comprising Salvador Avila, Ethan Forde and Duncan McLean, are aiming to raise £50,000 for the charity, with team The Nomadic Numpties of ‘Turbo’ Anthony Hall and ‘Henri’ Abby Cooper targeting
USA - Since 2010, in his role as head of US touring support, Scott Sugden has contributed substantially to the success of L-Acoustics touring markets in North America. Sugden now assumes the position of product manager, reporting to Jeff Rocha, director, product management. “Scott is an outstanding individual who demonstrates a rare combination of both technical acumen and great communication skills, with a keen focus on the user experience, making him the ideal candidate to fill the key cross-functional role of product manager,” comments Rocha. “As a member of the L-Acoustics product management team, Scott will accompany the new product development process by liaising with key stakeholders across geographies and company functions to help L-Acoustics identify, capitalise upon, and communicate new product opportunities.” Effective immediately, recent hire Marcu
Denmark - DPA Microphones has announced the appointment of Thomas Frederiksen as its new vice president of sales for the APAC region. Frederiksen will head up DPA’s regional office in Hong Kong, which was opened in 2013 to support the company’s sales partners throughout Asia. Commenting on his appointment, DPA’s CEO Kalle Hidvt Nielsen, comments: “I am very pleased to have Thomas on board. APAC is a very important region for DPA. I know that, with his strong background in the pro audio market and his extensive experience in Asia, and in particular Japan, he will help drive the APAC team to develop even closer links with our distributors, dealers and customers across the region.” A fluent Japanese speaker and formerly managing director of Shure Japan, Frederiksen is already a familiar face to many in the live sound, installation and pro audio industrie
UK - Lincolnshire-based manufacturer Logic Systems Pro Audio has launched the Notion line-up, which replaces the popular ML range and comprises of four two-way systems, ranging from the compact N8 to the powerful N14, plus three sub woofers. Each full range enclosure features a rotatable horn for horizontal or vertical orientation. Comprehensive mounting options include eyebolt suspension, wall bracket and pole mounting, while ergonomic handles incorporated in the rear of each full range enclosure allow easy handling with all sub woofers having side handles. All Notion series enclosures are constructed from durable plywood and finished with hard-wearing black textured coating paint with white and customer RAL colour options available to order. The ML series have been a popular product in the Logic Systems range for many years, offering a flexible option for front of h
Europe - NEXT-proaudio has developed a unified rack solution N-RAK, designed for optimum performance flexibility and setup simplicity. The new rack was configured to interface seamlessly, allowing multiple configurations for the entire NEXT-proaudio’s product range. Part of a family of four different models, N-RAK 20, N-RAK40, N-RAK60, N-RAK80, all the N-Raks are equipped with Powersoft X8 and/or X4 amplifiers, featuring Dante audio networking functionality (optionally). N-RAK was created as a universal platform developed to facilitate cross-rental between NEXT-proaudio’s users worldwide and to ensure compatibility with the cabling standard of the systems. The N-RAK has Dante (optional), AES3 and analogue inputs for multiple connections, making the setup process greatly simplified and much more efficient than the former LA Rack. With the Powersoft amplifiers
USA - John ‘Lou’ Lousteau, chief engineer at Foo Fighters’ Studio 606, recently installed a pair of JBL Professional 7 Series master reference monitors at the recording studio. The engineer and producer has worked with the likes of Iggy Pop and Joan Jett and also records at Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins home studios, as well as his own home studio. He was so impressed by the performance of the JBL 7 Series monitors at Studio 606 that he equipped his and Taylor’s studios with them as well. “We’ve used monitors from dozens of different brands over the years, but there’s something special about the JBL 7 Series - they just speak to me,” says Lousteau. “Something about them sounds really good. They have a tightness in the low-end, and the mids and highs and really transparent and clear - they’re super accurate. As soon as I heard them, I wa
USA - When technology design and integration company Walker Engineering was asked to assess the paging and public address systems at the sprawling Houston Methodist Hospital, they encountered an assortment of older analogue systems that were inadequate for the needs of a modern medical facility – including integration with the new Paula and Joseph C. “Rusty” Walter III Tower, a 22-story, one million-square-foot building for cardiovascular and neurosurgery. In keeping with Houston Methodist’s approach to medicine, efficient communications across all 10 downtown buildings was a critical need. Walker recommended Bosch Praesideo digital public address and emergency sound system as a scalable, flexible enterprise solution to serve the new Walter Tower and unite it with the rest of the campus. “We had previously upgraded several of the medical centre‘s suburban
USA - For a third year running, global design and BIM software solutions provider Vectorworks is sponsoring awards at the Kennedy Centre American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF). KCACTF is a national programme designed to celebrate college theatre in the United States and help students develop their creative and technical skills. This year marks the 50th anniversary of KCACTF. Every year, KCACTF hosts eight regional festivals for college theatre students across the United States. The festival activities include workshops, discussions, regional-level scholarships and award programmes. The first regional festival begins on 8 January and the last festival ends on 28 February. “As we gear up for another exciting festival season for KCACTF, once again new doors will open for a handful of students because of the connections between KCACTF and our industry-leading spons
Europe - NEXT proaudio has announced that its new LA122.v2 as the latest addition to its LA family of line array systems. The new kit is a re-designed version of the LA122 compact line array, integrating the same internal components into a smaller and lighter box. LA122.v2 has neodymium speakers custom-made by B&C that can generate 1120W of high-definition power for a very high acoustic pressure, suitable for medium to large scale applications. This system is suitable for use in permanent installations as well as in touring systems. The new system comprises three models, two line array elements, with different coverage angles (8ºx90º - LA122.v2 and 15ºx120º - LA122W.v2) and a companion subwoofer system allowing a wide configuration versatility - LAs118.v2. The Hybrid-Horn subwoofer LAs118.v2 is equipped with a custom made B&C, long excursion, 1
The Netherlands - Launching at ISE 2019 next month, the new AV DI Plus from ARX Systems is a stereo AV Active Direct box that features industry standard dual 6.5mm, RCA and Amphenol stereo mini jack inputs and dual balanced Amphenol XLR outputs. Designed for interfacing computer sound cards, smart phones, iPads and similar devices with professional sound systems, the AV DI Plus provides a simple solution to the increasingly familiar problem of having to deal with a number of different types of analogue audio connectors when connecting to consumer level devices. The latest addition to the Audibox range of interfaces from ARX Systems, the AV DI Plus converts unbalanced audio signals to balanced, low impedance signals suitable for use with professional equipment and long cable runs. Switchable ground isolation provides low-noise operation suitable for any application, pr
Malaysia - Powersoft has appointed Concept Audio as its distributor in Malaysia. Concept Audio is a complete AV equipment supplier that provides gear as well as system designs, project implementation and system integration. The company also distributes Coolux, Clearcom, Shure, Nexo, Quest Engineering and JBL. Castrit Lim, sales director of Concept Audio, comments: “Powersoft products can deliver more than enough power to any sized sound system, and their reliability is complemented by excellent component quality, compact size, and intuitive functions. We discovered that Powersoft amps would also be the most flexible option for our customers - given the audio products we distribute already - and the value for money is second to none.” Concept Audio plans to supply its new Powersoft gear to universities and government departments, but the company says it also
UK - As of January, Leeds-based pro audio distributor JHS has become the exclusive distributor of CAD Audio microphones and accessories in the UK and Republic of Ireland. CAD Audio's 2019 catalogue comprises the CAD Live, StageSelect and GXL Wireless ranges, Equitek recording and Acousti-Shield acoustic enclosures, Livesound, USB mics and Astatic microphones and installation accessories as well as Sessions headphones. Ralph Jung, CAD Audio sales director, US music, comments: “We are very pleased to have JHS as CAD Audio’s exclusive distributor in the UK and ROI. JHS is a very strong and respected organisation with deep roots and strong relationships in its markets. The CAD Audio product line is a great fit with the current JHS product offering, and we look forward to achieving great success alongside the talented team at JHS.” “We have a long history of r
Europe - Shure Incorporated has appointed Andreas Koenig as new senior market manager, Southeast Europe, effective 1 January. Koenig will be responsible for managing and supporting the distribution network across the region. A Shure manager since 1999, Koenig brings extensive experience and knowledge to the role, with previous positions as marketing manager, key account manager, and senior manager for inside sales and support. His most recent role was associate director, business analytics. “I am really looking forward to having such a great personality on board of our new emerging markets team,” says Marco Weissert, senior director, emerging markets. “With his strong background, Andreas will be an important part of future business development in Southeast Europe.” (Jim Evans)
UK - Sound Technology, UK distributor of Harman Professional Solutions, reports that the JBL VTX A8 dual 8” line array loudspeaker is now shipping in the UK and available for demo at the company’s Hertfordshire demo facility. VTX A8 brings JBL Professional’s flagship VTX A Series technology to compact solutions for small- to mid-size rental and installed applications. It combines proprietary JBL transducers and latest-generation high-frequency waveguide acoustic design to provide unmatched performance, efficiency and 110 degrees of horizontal coverage. For VTX A8, next-generation transducers and physical design refinements were custom-engineered by JBL to integrate more drivers into a smaller, lighter cabinet for a compact footprint, while still maintaining high output and sonic consistency with the VTX A-Series family. The VTX A8’s 8” neodymium low-
The Netherlands - L-Acoustics will present its latest installation solution to the market at ISE 2019 in Amsterdam (5-8 February). “ISE continues to grow year over year and attracts integration specialists from all over the world,” says Jeff Rocha, director of product management for L-Acoustics. “This makes it the perfect forum for us to showcase our latest innovations while highlighting the unique and targeted benefits our of existing product lines.” As well as revealing this new product, the company will be hosting a series of demonstrations and presentations each day, including L-ISA Immersive Hyperreal Sound, a trailblazing multidimensional sound technology. “We look forward to the convenience of reconnecting face to face with so many of our customers at ISE, as well as catering to new demand and clienteles,” adds Jochen Frohn, L-Acoustics director
USA - For the past 15 years, the Infinite Energy Arena has served the greater Atlanta, Georgia area as a state-of-the-art venue for concerts, graduations, and sporting events of all types, from basketball to ice hockey to professional lacrosse. Depending on the nature of the event, the arena holds between 11,000 and 13,000 people. After its original sound reinforcement system fell out of date and beyond repair, the Infinite Energy Arena management chose AV integration firm Logic Systems Sound & Lighting, of St. Louis, Missouri, to install a cost-effective Danley Sound Labs system. The Danley system reuses existing wiring & rigging and far exceeds the design criteria for fidelity and sound pressure level, all while simultaneously slashing the system’s energy budget in half. “The old system relied on obsolete technology and discontinued products,” explains