Sound

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13 August 2024

Germany - The Friedrichstadt-Palast has been a leading hub for cultural and artistic excellence in the heart of Berlin, with a history that dates back to 1919. One of the largest and most prominent theatres in the capital, its latest production Falling | In Love is a fantasy tale filled with colour, exuberant costumes and an ensemble of 100 artists. Visual design and technology studio, Bright! played a pivotal role in enabling lighting and audio technology befitting such a grand production.

“The Friedrichstadt-Palast team were searching for a tracking solution that could manage both the sound and light tracking needs for their newest Grand Show Falling | In Love,” recalls Philip Neyses, head of the technical department at Bright! “This was the first time the theatre had considered a tracking solution.”

The key requirement wa

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13 August 2024

UK - When Yes Events’ Tom Chennells became the first customer for the TT+ Audio GTX line array back in the spring, it was precisely with shows such as the Waddesdon Manor summer concerts that he had in mind.

The Victorian venue - a French Renaissance-style château in Buckinghamshire - provided the perfect backdrop for four nights of concerts featuring various tribute acts. Yes Events provided not only the premium sound, but the complete technical infrastructure, including lighting, video, all rigging and staging, barriers, as well as booking the acts, in what was a total turnkey operation.

TT+ Audio is from the home of Italian loudspeaker giant RCF, with whom Chennells has enjoyed a long relationship.

When GTX, the flagship of the new brand, was demoed earlier in the year he recognised that the smaller GTX 10 would be the perfect replaceme

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12 August 2024

UK - Visitors to this year’s PLASA Show (1-3 September, Olympia London) can once again get up close to vintage technology used by iconic recording artists and theatre productions, courtesy of lighting designer and LSi journalist Rob Halliday, and Chris Hewitt of CH Vintage Audio.

In a special area of the show named after the popular, long-running LSi column, archive equipment will be showcased via a display of vintage consoles and fixtures. Additionally, a range of guest experts set to join Halliday and Hewitt on-stand throughout the event to share memories of tech-gone-by.

Kit set to be displayed includes:

• The custom Cadac mixing console created for Starlight Express in 1984, which pioneered the computer-controlled VCA mixing approach followed by all theatre shows since.
• The Strand Galaxy lighting console, which i

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12 August 2024

Tunisia - Placed second in the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest with her song Voilà, French singer-songwriter Barbara Pravi performed a special concert in the magnificent gardens of the Résidence de France Dar El Kamila in the La Marsa suburb of the Tunisian capital Tunis for the Franco-Tounsi festival on 12 July.

An all-Nexo sound system was deployed by Tunis-based event production specialists Sybel and comprised main left and right hangs of six each compact STM 2 x 8-inch line array elements with LF extension from ground-stacked STM B112 and S118 subs across the front of the stage. Nexo PS15s were deployed as out-fills with P15 cabinets from Nexo’s latest P+ Series point-source loudspeaker range used for font-fills and returns.

Two days later the Sybel team was in action again, this time with a Nexo Geo M system at the 14 July Nat

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12 August 2024

USA - All-female Mexican vocal groups, Pandora and Flans recently undertook a 17-city theatre and arena tour of the US, mostly visiting the Southern States.

The Inesperado (‘Unexpected’) tour was supported by a large inventory of Martin Audio WPL line array, provided by New Mexico-based rental partner, High End-RG Productions. The high-energy show combined the two legendary groups in one spectacular event.

Martin Audio’s successful Wavefront Precision PA was deployed; 12 boxes per side for the group’s FOH sound engineer, Luis Quiñones. High End-RG Productions president, Enrique Ortiz, confirmed that the PA setup had been designed in collaboration with system engineer, Orlando Calzada, with the 12 SXH218 subwoofers set in an L/R cardioid configuration, six enclosures per side, providing the LF extension.

Responsible for outfi

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12 August 2024

UK - "L-Acoustics was specifically requested for this tour. It's the system I feel most comfortable with after years of working with it, mixing for other artists," shares Philip Harvey, FOH engineer for Keane. Celebrating the 20th anniversary of their album Hopes and Fears, Keane embarked on a triumphant UK arena tour that presented a unique set of acoustic challenges. The tour, spanning six arenas for seven shows, including two nights at London's O2 Arena, demanded a concert sound system to deliver both whisper-quiet moments and full-on, high-energy peaks with equal clarity and power.

"While Keane are known for their melodic ballads, their live performances demand a very dynamic sound," explains Harvey. "Our goal was to deliver a powerful rock show that ranges from the intimate moments to thunderous crescendos, all while ensuring every seat in the

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09 August 2024

UK - International production practice Wonder Works has launched WowAxis, a custom design and fabrication service intended to enhance the efficiency of live event productions. Born out of a growing demand from Wonder Works' clients for bespoke design and fabrication work, WowAxis is dedicated to providing safe, innovative, and intuitive solutions for touring equipment and productions worldwide, the company says.

Led by industry experts Piers Shepperd, Jeremy Lloyd, and Dave Williams, the WowAxis team boasts over 75 years of combined experience in live events. Piers Shepperd, director of WowAxis, says: "WowAxis was created to address the evolving needs of our clients and the industry as a whole. We saw an opportunity to provide a one-stop solution for design, fabrication, and assembly, allowing us to deliver high-quality products that enhance the efficiency a

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09 August 2024

UK - RCF UK partner JPS Sound & Light fielded 108 RCF loudspeaker enclosures at the recent Zimfest Live 2024 festival in Hertfordshire - now celebrating its 25th year.

Involved with this event for the past five years, John Southee’s company has watched the event ­- a celebration of Zimbabwean music, culture and music - mature from its old Colesdale Farm site near Potters Bar to the premium Hertfordshire County Show Ground outside St. Albans, where up to 10,000 people from across the UK congregate over the two days.

JPS was tasked with providing a complete technical infrastructure (sound, lighting and video as well as camera crew) - populating two stages, the enlarged main stage and a six-pole Big Top. “The SmartStage180 provided a massive 15m x 12m stage area, with a 10m high roof. This offered an impressive 20-tonne weight-loading and addit

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09 August 2024

Austria ­- High in the Austrian Alps, nestled amidst breathtaking scenery, lies Onkel Willy's Hutte. This Alpine restaurant and ski hut is more than just a venue for traditional Austrian food and stunning views, it’s also a party haven. The sound system was crucial to achieve their goal of the best view, culinary and music experience, which is why they chose Void Acoustics.

The venue needed a powerful sound system capable of filling the outdoor space and withstanding the harsh Alpine climate. Freezing winter temperatures presented unique installation challenges for the speakers in the outdoor dining areas, as did the limited electrical supply up in the mountains.

Alongside the outdoor speaker challenge, the venue’s indoor spaces also needed a sound system capable of creating the perfect atmosphere for diners.  

Musikuss Tonkultur, Void'

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09 August 2024

World - Initially billed as a “reunion tour”, Blink-182’s World Tour 2023/2024 marks the band’s 30th anniversary and first tour with original singer and guitarist, Tom DeLonge, since 2014. Given the significance of the tour, front-of-house sound engineer Charles Izzo and monitor engineer Ray Jeffrey knew there would be high expectations for quality audio during performances from both the band and its audiences around the globe. Pulling from their past experiences with the brand, the duo set their sights on a variety of DPA Microphones vocal and instrument mics.

To ensure the band delivers unbeatable sound on stage throughout the North American and European legs of the World Tour, together Izzo and Jeffrey selected DPA’s d:facto 4018VL vocal microphones for singer/guitarist Tom DeLonge and bass guitarist Mark Hoppus. They also deploy DPA mi

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09 August 2024

Taiwan - 1 Sound, an American-made premium loudspeaker brand, celebrated its launch in Taiwan with a demo event, organised by official distributor Seapower Technology. Held at the New Taipei City Government’s conference room, a mid-sized theatre with tiered seating for about 330 people, the venue offered a perfect space to showcase the impressive capabilities of a whole range of 1 Sound speakers. The demo presentations were given by 1 Sound’s APAC sales executive, Leonardo Dani and Seapower Technology CEO, Douglas Chang.

“The audience consisted of mostly systems integrators who had nothing but positive things to say. 1 Sound, though a relatively new brand with just two years in the global market, left a strong impression,” explained Chang.

“Taiwan, known as the global hub for high-tech industries with giants like Taiwan Semiconductor Compan

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08 August 2024

UK - Fabric London has extended its relationship with Martin Audio, dating back nearly a quarter of a century, by announcing a substantial upgrade to its flagship Room One.

Since the installation of Martin Audio W8C, Blacklines and WSX subwoofers at the start of the new millennium, the club has never looked back, having gone through several generations of Martin Audio systems - maintaining its faith in the state-of-the-art sound systems offered to its roster of world-class DJs.

But when it came to the latest refresh, technical manager Matt Smith decided to follow a different path. Nervous at the prospect of losing what he describes as “that distinctive Room 1 sound”, he asked Martin Audio if they would overhaul the existing 20-year-old W8L line array by fitting it with new drivers. The High Wycombe manufacturer was happy to oblige.

Howeve

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08 August 2024

USA - When OC Local acquired the long-established The Pizza Store in Laguna Hills, they engaged Dan Burdett of locally-based dB Media Services to provide a new audio system that would deliver premium quality at a competitive price. dB had previously tidied up a third-party install at one of the restaurant group’s other venues and OC Local were keen to achieve the same audio standards for their remodelled new venue. Burdett recommended, designed and installed an Optimal Audio system for The Pizza Store.

“Optimal Audio was a great option for this project because of its high performance/low cost ratio. Restaurants don’t always have the required budget available for media technology, so the Optimal Audio product matched the needs of the budget without any audio compromise, as well as meeting the high-performance standards expected by dB Media,” explains

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08 August 2024

UK - High-quality audio systems specialist Glensound will introduce several new products at PLASA Show 2024 (1-3 September, Olympia London).

New to PLASA is the Greater Divine Intelligent Network Audio Monitor. Glensound launched the original Divine in 2019, which has proven very popular after winning a prestigious PLASA Innovation Award in 2021. The Greater Divine is a larger two-way speaker unit that shares many features of the original Divine, but incorporates several innovations. This extremely versatile active monitor delivers 30 watts and is designed to be powered via PoE+ or a local DC input, with the audio connected to a Dante network. It features eight customisable Dante input channels, up from four in the original model, and includes a local analogue audio input. Unusually, a headphone socket is also provided, and the neat package

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08 August 2024

Germany - Sommer Cable has launched the SYSCAT4 family. It enables the simultaneous and reliable transmission of up to four analogue or eight digital AES/EBU or DMX signals over distances of up to 100 metres via stage-compatible CAT cables.

The core element of the SYSCAT4 family is a splice adapter consisting of the compact and robust Hi-Housing metal enclosure with integrated EtherCON RJ45 full metal panel jack and a sturdy cable gland, split into a 50cm long four-fold splice made from the flexible and resistant SC-Semicolon 2 digital patch cable in combination with Neutrik or Hicon XLR connectors (three- or five-pin, male or female). The channel numbers are clearly marked - in Sommer style - on the connectors: Channel 1 = pin 4+5; Channel 2 = pin 3+6; Channel 3 = pin 1+2; Channel 4 = pin 7+8.

The SYSCAT4 family also includes matching floor stage bo

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07 August 2024

Spain - The ancient temple of San Miguel in the Spanish city of Cuenca provides a stunning backdrop for Luz Cuenca, a fully-immersive sensory experience offering an artistic expression of the cultural wealth of the city.

Drawing on the city’s history, which is closely linked to art ­- and especially abstract art - Luz Cuenca is a multimedia exhibition that combines artistic lighting techniques and a dramatic orchestral music score with 2D and 3D projection mapping.

Digital immersive experience specialist Ibercover Studio was in charge of production and content design, turning to leading AV company Fluge to design and supply a high-quality sound system for the project.

Jesús Catá, AV project engineer at Fluge, explains: “Ibercover Studio asked us to design an immersive, robust and high-quality audio system as a key ele

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07 August 2024

Denmark – Copenhagen’s Bremen Teater has recently upgraded its audio system, with the Midas HD96-24 Console at the heart of the setup. With a seating capacity of 650, the venue is renowned for hosting a variety of events, including the popular TV2 shows Live Fra Bremen and ALOHA!. It has also been the chosen venue for award ceremonies like the Steppeulven and the GAFFA Awards.

Given the eclectic schedule and the necessity to accommodate guest productions with unique lighting and sound setups, Bremen Teater faced significant audio challenges. 

To address this, the theatre collaborated with Danish ‘super partners’ Matrix Sales, led by Claus Pederson, and Bremen Teater’s chief engineer Mikael Flensborg, to design an audio system that could seamlessly integrate with the existing infrastructure.

Centra

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07 August 2024

Netherlands - Since 1996, Concertzaal Tilburg has been an important platform in the Netherlands for a wide range of performances, from classical concerts to pop music and spoken word events. The 743-seat auditorium, known for its versatility, hosts everything from small symphonic and chamber music to amplified concerts, festivals, musical theatre and conferences. To better serve its diverse programming and audience, Concertzaal Tilburg has upgraded its audio with a new L-Acoustics Kara II concert sound system, marking another step in the venue's ongoing commitment to providing quality experiences for both performers and attendees.

"Our goal with this upgrade was to address some of the acoustic challenges we've faced over the years," says Pernel van Herpt, technical manager at Concertzaal Tilburg. "The Kara II system gives us more flexibility to accommodate o

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07 August 2024

Belgium - Spa is best known for its mineral water and legendary Formula One circuit, but each July the small Belgian city welcomes almost 200,000 visitors for the annual Francofolies Festival.

This internationally renowned festival promotes contemporary music, conceived and designed with respect for the environment and sustainable development. The programming and artists reflect the values ​​upheld by the festival: multiculturalism, the dissemination of Francophilia worldwide, and advocacy for a modern and innovative vision of culture.

With headline performances from French singers Christophe Maé and Patrick Bruel, Congolese singer and rapper Gims and French folk-rock band Louise Attaque, this year’s festival took place from 18-21 July.

Sound for the Pierre Rapsat main stage was provided by Belgian production technology specialist Art

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06 August 2024

UK - Cadac Consoles has announced the strategic decision to locate manufacturing of its new CM-System in the United Kingdom. The move marks a significant transition from its previous China production base under the Soundking Group.

Mr. Xianggui Wang, president of the Soundking Group, emphasised the benefits of the relocation. "To fully realise Cadac Consoles’ potential and ensure its long-term sustainability, both Soundking Group and Cadac Consoles’ management team recognise the importance of partnering with a UK-based manufacturer specializing in low volume, high value products, in ensuring that the high expectations of its customer base are fully met.

"This decision additionally enables Soundking to reallocate resources to our broader product range, accelerating our ability to drive Soundking’s global growth across the AV sector."

Jam

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06 August 2024

Australia - AtlasIED has announced its partnership with Australia-based National Audio Systems (NAS). Through this partnership, NAS will sell and distribute AtlasIED’s technology catalogue, including audio, security, and mass notification technologies.

Established in 1998, NAS is a respected and leading distributor of world-class professional audio and visual brands focused on commercial installation and production markets across Australia and New Zealand. The company’s ethos and focus are to provide the finest solutions, products, and industry-leading customer service.

“AtlasIED has been of much interest to NAS for some time,” said Brad Kivela, business & product manager, NAS. “We have been watching the development of new innovative products and a large investment in personnel over the last 12-18 months. We see clear product roadmaps a

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06 August 2024

UK - SWG Events joined forces with fellow Martin Audio network partner 22live recently to field a massive 80 premium loudspeakers from the British manufacturer at Ashton Gate, home of Bristol City FC, over a memorable weekend.

The Saturday event, called Ashton Gate Presents BS3, saw American singer-songwriter Ne-Yo headlining an all-star 10-act bill, that included Craig David, Jess Glynne, Dizzee Rascal, DJ Spoony and local legend, Roni Size, playing to a 27,000-capacity crowd.

The staging then changed for the Sunday, which saw Kings of Leon playing the venue as part of their Can We Please Have Fun world tour.

SWG Events’ head of sound, Simon Purse explained the PA design, which he had overseen. Left and right main PA comprised drops of 16 WPL, supported by two out-hangs of 12 elements in each. 

There were a further two delay tower

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05 August 2024

China - DirectOut has announced Digital Media Technology Co (DMT) as a new distributor for its audio solutions in the Greater China region.

Founded in Hong Kong in 1990, DMT has established itself as a leading supplier of audio and video system solutions. With four additional offices in Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Taipei, DMT offers a full range of services, from design to support.

"DMT's technical expertise and deep understanding of the market make them an ideal partner," said Luca Giaroli, chief solution officer at DirectOut. "This collaboration ensures optimal integration of our audio solutions."

Over the years, DMT has successfully implemented complex installations, including music recording systems and networked post-production environments, expanding its reach and capabilities in the broadcast, music production, and live sound sect

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05 August 2024

Australia - Tasked with the installation of a comprehensive audio system for a new space within Sydney’s Revesby Worker's Club, The Avit Group chose solutions from Nexo.

Once a modest social gathering space for a close-knit community, the venue has expanded to encompass a wide range of amenities- a growth which continues into present-day. 2022 saw the planning and development of Miss Iggy’s, a new nightclub/pub combination promising to ‘bring a trendy Inner Sydney vibe to the heart of Revesby’.

Inspired by quirky street art and retro arcade parlours, the development of Miss Iggy’s brought a host of audio requirements spanning multiple interconnected zones- including a lounge, bar, nightclub area and arcade. The Avit Group’s operations manager, Adrian Davis, expands on the brief:

“Miss Iggy’s successfully marries the vibrant, e